Marinette's Promise
by KandyKate
Summary: The adventures of Adrien, Marinette and Louis continues. Book three of the "Marinette's baby" series. Contains NSFW READ AT YOUR OWN RISK All characters are of age 18
1. Preface

It was a daunting kind of sadness.

The look in his green eyes told stories, years and years of memories.

Memories of his mother that would not fade, and the years of solitude. He couldn't count how many times he sat in front of a cold meal, with no one there to talk to him, to guide him, to simply be there for him. His father had grown cold to him. The rare moments where he would be held, be spoken to, be guided or even was acknowledged was such a rush. The rare contact would make his heart palpitate more than anyone could have imagined.

Overtime he'd try to get used to the lonely and accept it because when he lost his mother, he lost his father as well.

Adrien wasn't familiar with making new friends, he didn't know much about the outside world, and despite the many people who did adore him and call him an inspiration, there was a voice deep down that told him he was worth just as much as what his father treated him.

Nothing

He was nothing. He felt like nothing, he believed he was nothing. For a moment he truly believed that this was what was in the end for him.

But that all changed when he met her.

The very innocent glance she'd send him would wash away all the lonely he felt. The small smile she'd give him eased his pain, and the sound of her voice was enough to ease his soul.

She came into his life in a whirlwind of romance and for the first time in his life, he was happy. She was what he needed and just like that, she gave him a son. They created a family he never thought he deserved to have.

She made the impossible, possible.

But this was his face...the face of lonely.

"Are you alright?" Marinette asked, placing her hand on to his shoulder.

Her voice immediately deterred his train of thought as he glanced down at the photo of himself in his youth.

Marinette felt concern for him. It had been a year or two since they graduated, but there was a feeling inside of her that worried Adrien was stuck.

"Yeah...I was just...thinking." Adrien chuckled, placing the photo back on his desk.

Marinette nodded and she leaned on him. Her arms wrapped around him, and she parted her lips as her heart pounded within her chest. She gently caressed his hips with her leg, and the lace of her sleepwear brushed against her upper thigh.

"I finally finished setting up Louis' room." She murmured into his neck.

"He's going to be so excited when he sees it."

Adrien bit his lip, listening to her words as she spoke. Most of the bedrooms in their new homes were set up to a more home like feeling. They wanted their son to be comfortable. He was so used to bouncing between Adrien's home and Marinette's home. But this was a new adjustment for the little one, this was a home all on their own.

Adrien carefully reciprocated the embrace, his arm dipped around her waist and tugged her closer.

"You're an artist, Marinette." The blonde whispered, turning his face and brushing his lips at the edges of her mouth.

"Louis has an amazing mother. I'm glad I chose you for my first time." He finished off with a tease, his lips stretching into a smile.

Marinette snorted, and she turned her head as well, capturing his lips briefly in a sweet kiss.

"You just knew me as Ladybug. You didn't know I was her." She murmured against his lips as she wrapped her arms around him.

"If anyone was Ladybug..." Adrien interjected, bringing his face to hers.

"I'm glad it was you I fell in love with..." he finished off with a kiss, pressing his lips to hers.

Marinette was breathless, the way he handled and kissed her was enough to sweep her off her feet.

She immediately kissed back, her body shivering as she tangled her fingers in his dark locks.

She wasn't a teen in school anymore, she was older, she was here with him and she knew how to hold her own.

The room was silent, nothing could be heard but their laboured breathing as the kiss deepened and the sounds of their lips whispering in perfect synchronization.

"Beautiful" ...

was the first word that came to Adrien's mind once his hands began to travel up her body, gripping the lace of her dress and withdrawing it.

"Warm" ...

was what Marinette thought of when he carefully carried her to their bed and lay her down flat against it.

"Happy" ...

was what they both felt as their bodies were soon entangled in a passionate embrace.

The blunette breathed out the monent their lips separated and Adrien placed his lips on her skin. His tongue danced across her collarbone with a languid movement.

He was careful not to leave marks, as she was supposed to be starting a fashion program soon and didn't want to leave any marks.

Her digits soon found themselves in his golden locks once more the moment he sucked very lightly on her neck. She bit her lip when he pressed a gentle kiss to the area.

Marinette liked how they had made time for one another. After having the mishaps with Nathan that stemmed because they barely spent time together and Marinette's trepidation, they have learned significantly how important it was to be with one another.

With planning the wedding, Adrien starting a new modeling contract and Marinette starting a new program, their life occasionally got hectic. Parenting Louis wasn't any easier, but they managed to find a good center.

Her heart pounded against her chest, and her hands loosened their grip from his hair once he began to ascend towards her face.

Green eyes sought hers, and his thumb brushed over the soft display of freckles across her face.

The blush matched with one another as it began to crawl over both their faces.

"Hey~" Adrien teased, playfully wiggling his brows.

Marinette snorted, trembling underneath him in a swarm of giggles.

Adrien took in that moment, drinking in every aspect of her adorableness in complete adoration for his Queen underneath him.

She really was a beautiful angel.

A/N: A preface for what's to come. I hope you guys like it so far.


	2. Chapter 1

"Is this too sexy?" Marinette asked as she stepped out into the bedroom. She wasn't wearing anything too revealing. She simply wore a fashionable button up white blouse with a fitting black pencil skirt that stopped just at her knee. She paired it off with a nice set of plain black high heels.

She kept her hair in a bun that sat neatly on the top of her head. Marinette was a little nervous to start this fashion program. She had worked hard throughout high school. She had quite the remarkable portfolio for someone her age.

Her hat was featured on almost every news channel in Paris when she was only fourteen years of age, and her hat was modeled by the one and only Adrien Agreste. Her design was hand picked by designer Gabriel Agreste himself, and she was lucky enough to design the album cover of Jagged Stone.

It didn't have to be said, that she was talented, with an impressive history.

"You look amazing... but then again, you look sexy in anything you put on" Adrien murmured as he stood up, reaching around the back of her shirt and pulling the price tag off before the bluenette could even attest to it.

Marinette hummed, her blue eyes veering off to see her son, playing with Tikki.

"You don't think that wearing Gabriel's clothing will come off as a bit...showy?" Marinette asked nervously. "I don't want people to get the impression that I got here because I'm marrying his son."

Adrien wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a taut embrace.

"You worked hard to get where you are. It's a fashion business. In this industry you always have to dress your best. You'll make a good first impression and then the day will be over. Besides... it's business in the fashion industry, everyone will be wearing name brand clothes." He explained, pulling back to look at her.

"Take it from someone who's lived in it all his life..."

Marinette leaned into him. She allowed herself to get lost in his embrace as she always did.

She often wondered if Adrien wanted to be in this industry at all, or if he simply did so to please his father. Part of her hoped that he enjoyed half as much as what he did. During his photoshoots and catwalk gigs he seemed to smile, but she knew he was good at hiding things.

She saw it first hand when she was with him as Chat Noir. She would have never known it was him if he hadn't admitted to her who he was.

They were like polar opposites, personality wise. At the same time, Marinette was able to see the similarities. As both Chat Noir and Adrien, he was honest, loyal and still quite the hopeless romantic.

She nuzzled her face into his chest, being completely thankful for him. Even despite everything, he was always there to support her. He was her rock, she had no idea what she'd do without him. After all the endeavours they embraced together it was hard to imagine him not being around.

The thought was scary.

"You're gonna be okay with Louis by yourself until I get back? I'll try not to be too long." The blunette uttered, her voice slightly muffled as she kept her face buried in his shirt.

Adrien chuckled. "Yes! We'll be alright." His eyes then looked over at Louis who was about ready to fall asleep where he sat. "Right, little guy?" Adrien asked, pitching his voice louder to jolt the toddler awake.

Much to his dismay, Louis simply nodded and plopped straight on to the sofa and closed his eyes.

Tikki was at Marinette's side at once while Plagg nuzzled into Louis' neck and yawned, ready to have his nap with the little one.

"I'll take care of the rest!" Tikki piped, nuzzling into Marinette's freckled cheeks.

Marinette smiled, reaching up to cup her kwami friend in her hands.

"I'm glad I'm not going alone..." Marinette whispered, looking down at Tikki.

She was never alone. Since the very beginning Tikki had been there for her. As the voice of guidance Tikki was there for her when Marinette found out that she was pregnant. If it weren't for her words of encouragement Marinette wouldn't know where she'd be.

From the moment Marinette cried because she was scared, to the moment where Marinette finally accepted her situation and was wiping butter off her face with bagels. Tikki was her voice of reason, and truly was Marinette's best friend. The bluenette couldn't be more grateful.

"You're never alone." Tikki responded, glancing up at Marinette as if she knew what she was thinking about.

Marinette cracked a smile briefly before she leaned down and kissed her little kwami on the head.

"Alright!" Adrien rasped, interjecting their tender interlude in a matter of moments.

"Lets go! Or you'll be late. You don't want to be late on the first day of the job."

Marinette nodded, acknowledging that what he said was right. She unzipped her purse, allowing Tikki to climb inside before she headed out.

Marinette was breathless.

She didn't expect the building to be so huge. She felt like a complete oddity but the floors were just so shiny.

The teenage girl in her wanted to skip around in her heels just to hear them tap against the smooth floors.

The young adult in her wanted to walk down the halls with her sketch book like a sophisticated woman.

The blunette snorted at the thought.

Who was she kidding?

She was NOT ready to be an adult.

She had made quite a few acquaintances at the introduction conference table, and Marinette was definitely more than thrilled that she was working under Audrey Bourgeois.

Sure, there were pros and cons.

One con being that she was Chloe's mother. Seeing that Chloe did cause the akuma that nearly killed her unborn child, Marinette couldn't help but to feel a bit of a profound vexation towards the girl. Granted, Chloe hadn't been as terrible as she was during their early years of highschool; Marinette wanted to give the girl the benefit of the doubt.

She had a heart, she just didn't know how to use it.

Directing to another con, Marinette did feel like she was betraying Adrien.

Agreste fashion and Bourgeois fashion were both industry lines that were in competition against one another.

Even knowing so, Marinette couldn't help but to feel bashful that she had been repping Gabriel's clothing while working in his competitors building. She was marrying into the family after all, she had hoped that it didn't give the wrong impression. But even that little thought wasn't enough to boost her off her high.

While Agreste's fashion line had Adrien as their secret weapon, Bourgeois had gained a secret weapon of their own.

Their recently attained secret weapon was Marinette herself.

Marinette had no idea she would be skyrocketing this high.

If she was lucky enough she could possibly get a wedding dress designed by Audrey herself!

Marinette nearly bounced on her toes as the thought of her wedding day gave her butterflies. Marinette could have sworn she was going to throw up. She was truly on cloud nine. She couldn't have been happier.

She applied herself to the belief that she was going to do her family proud.

Marinette was too lost in her thoughts she didn't even realize she was already halfway down the hall.

Audrey's assistant was giving Marinette the detour, and because Marinette was the head designer, she was instructed to direct Marinette to her private quarters so that she could meet the models and discuss designs done and set up in the appropriate time frame to be finished in time before they were presented to Paris. Marinette had only ever been to one fashion show before, to be at one as the top leading fashion designer was a dream come true.

Everyone who knew Marinette understood she was a personable entity. She took pride and empathy in everything that she did.

She wanted her designs to be in the likes of the model who wore them. This was a true passion of hers, and Marinette wanted that to outshine in her designs. She was able to prove it once when Adrien wore her hats, she made it another goal of hers but on the body of the model Audrey provided her.

"And this is your office." The assistant briefed. "Mrs. Bourgeois will send the model up when they're ready."

Marinette blushed.

The words "your office" had such a wonderful ring to it.

"Thanks." She replied, pausing just outside her door. Marinette turned to face the girl. "I'm sorry, I don't believe I've caught your name..."

The girl paused, her grey eyes contrasting against her dark skin and dark brown hair.

She smiled, a warm smile as if she was finally acknowledged as a person for once.

"I-it's Emily..."

Marinette immediately reciprocated the smile.

"Thank you, Emily. It was a pleasure meeting you..."

Emily simply nodded, giving the blunette one last glance before she turned and walked back down the narrow hallway.

Marinette watched her for a brief moment. She then turned facing the door before taking in a deep breath and opened it.

She was taken in completely awe.

Immediately, she saw the very large window that lit up the entire office space. On her right there was a designer black Hans Hopfer and Marco Fumagalli loveseat that contrasted perfectly to the creamy white walls.

In front of the massive window was a solid black desk made of delicate glass. Just a mere glimpse of it Marinette was able to tell it was a Cynthia Rowley designed desk.

From the Artemide Tolomeo Lamps to the Moroccan modern floor rugs, Marinette knew she shouldn't be surprised.

But she was.

This was definitely gonna take some getting used to.

She closed the door behind her and immediately threw herself on the office swivel chair. The bluenette squeaked as she twirled around in her chair.

Her blue eyes darted across the room, she could see where that photo of her and Adrien were gonna go. She could see that her photo of Louis as a newborn was going right there on her desk. Perhaps on the other corner she would place the family photo along with other photos of her parents.

Marinette could just picture it, she imagined herself making important phone calls. She imagined having quick business lunches within her office. She imagined herself simply looking out the large window, looking down at the city a few hundred feet below. She imagined that her designs were going to be worn all across Paris, and she'd be sitting on top of the world.

A sudden knock on her door jolted her out of her prolonged fantasies and it surprised her so effectively that she had nearly fell out of her chair.

"C-Come in!" Marinette called out, attempting to straighten herself up, banging her knee in the process.

"Shit-" she cursed under her breath.

"I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time." A soft voice emanated from behind the door as the unknown person let themselves in.

Marinette glanced up, and was nearly blown away.

She was greeted by one of the softest smiles she had ever seen, and the most gorgeous green blue eyes she had the pleasure of looking into.

"No...not at all..." she replied, her voice nearly trailing off as her mind was still processing the god like figure in front of her. He was such a beautiful boy. Not as beautiful as Adrien, but was still beautiful nonetheless.

The male reached his hand out to grip hers in a firm shake.

"Mrs. Bourgeois assigned me to be your model. Can't wait to see what you create." He spoke, a soft smile still on his face as he held her hand in his.

Marinette blushed, she wasn't sure if it was because of the high expectation or but because he was just so attractive.

"O-Of course...I'm Marinette. I can't wait to work with you." She sputtered out in an unintentional weak voice.

The male nodded, subtly biting his lip.

"Pleased to meet you, Marinette. I'm Luka.

Luka Couffaine."


	3. Chapter 2

WARNING: CHAPTER CONTAINS CUTE FLUFFY MOMENTS AND NSFW. IF YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH ANY OF THESE ELEMENTS DO NOT READ. YOU CAN SKIP TO THE NEXT CHAPTER. THIS CHAPTER IS MOSTLY DEDICATED TO ADRIENETTE NSFW/ FLUFF. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

"I miss you..."

The words warmed Marinette's heart probably much more than she would have initially anticipated.

She had such a long day at work, and she couldn't wait to go home and relax under the shower head before going to sleep. Marinette still had to get used to Adrien's bodyguard picking her up from work. She knew they were a team, but being a team as an engaged couple had a completely new center around it.

Marinette had spent her whole day at work, discussing things with Luka. The sun had already set, and a deep blue sky spread across the city.

Marinette had trouble staying awake during the car ride, but a phone call from her mother was enough to keep her awake.

"I miss you too, Mom... I have off tomorrow. Adrien stayed home with the baby today." Marinette yawned into her phone. "He's got a day ahead of him tomorrow so I'll get to stay with the baby. We can drop by after we drop him off. Louis keeps asking for you guys."

Sabine chuckled softly on the other line. Marinette could hear her mother suffering from empty nest syndrome just by the sound of her voice.

"How was work?"

Marinette closed her eyes, allowing the days events to replay over and over in her head as she lingered over her mom's question.

The whole day seemed unreal.

"Well..." she started. "I got to meet my model today...his name is Luka and we actually got to talking. I understand his auras and style, so I got some sketches down. I'll have to have him pick one he likes the most when I go back."

Her blue eyes glanced down to her kwami that nuzzled against the palm of her hand, quite understanding the exhaustion of her chosen.

"I'm so proud of you. Both me and your father. You've grown so much. You turned out to be everything we've ever hoped for...and so much more." Sabine murmured to her daughter on the other line.

Marinette smiled, rubbing her kwamis head as she felt so sentimental. She felt so warm, she swore tears were about to ebb down her face. But, she wasn't alone, she was in the car with Gorilla man and dear god she knew that would be awkward if she started bawling her eyes out because her parents declared how proud they were of her. It was a lifetime fulfillment.

"I love you mom..." Marinette replied in a hushed whisper, as she tried her best to withhold tears.

"I promise I'll come see you tomorrow..."

The blunette looked at the tinted window as the car pulled up in front of the house her and Adrien owned together.

She missed her family. She hated being away from Louis for so long. She understood what Adrien meant. He had a hard time being separated from the little one as well.

Since their baby ended up in the hands of an Akuma and was gone for days, the anxiety of losing him only increased.

"I have to go, mom. I'll text you."

Marinette craved a shower and a nap. With a few "I love yous" uttered to her parents over and over again and another silent promise of visiting the following day, Marinette bid her short term farewells and hung up.

She thanked his bodyguard and climbed out of the car and clobbered to the front door.

Her home was warm. The television played in the living room and the sounds of a shower already running, emanated from another direction.

She turned off the television, and the bluenette ventured her way to the bedroom of their toddler.

Louis cuddled into the stuffed animal of a black cat. Plagg nuzzled against the pillow beside the blonde boy and Marinette kissed her son's head.

She was a little dissapointed that he was asleep. Part of her wanted to wake the toddler up just so she can talk to him and play with him, but she knew Adrien had put him to bed because he was tired.

Marinette had already assumed Adrien was in the shower. So she had a bit of quiet time to herself. She kissed her little baby's head and then she turned off the lights. She was a little hesitant to leave him in his room by himself. She wanted to have her eyes on him at all times, but the moment Tikki floated out of Marinette's collar and joined Plagg at Louis' side, Marinette was able to retain some peace of mind.

Marinette plopped on the bed her and Adrien shared together. She kicked off her heels and groaned.

It had been such a long day.

Before she accepted the position, she knew it was going to be hectic, but there was no way to prepare herself for it when it actually happened.

Marinette knew she could hold her own, and the sentimental conversation she had with her mother was the boost she needed to continue on. She knew she had to continue working harder not only for her family, but for herself as well.

She looked up just as Adrien stepped into the room. His hair was wet and rowdy, and the bath towel hung low on his hips.

Marinette chuckled as she still couldn't understand how she didn't realize he was Chat Noir before.

Adrien smiled at her, almost wanting to jump on the bed right beside her if it had not been for her immediately standing up and approaching him.

"Do you have to look like a model with everything you do?" Marinette asked, her hand gently brushing over his chest as her eyes glossened over his tan skin in appreciation. "How do you get your skin...to be so even?" She gaped. He definitely gained some decent muscle of the years, and Marinette could have sworn it had been forever since she's seen him shirtless or even remotely naked for that matter.

Adrien chuckled beneath her touch.

"Is that a trick question?" He asked, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. "I missed you."

Marinette blushed as her fiance divulged his fondness of her presence. She wrapped her arms around him, her fingers tips lightly rubbing across his shoulders. He reciprocated the embrace and tugged her close. Marinette squeaked as she felt something firm bunch at her hip, which she kindly assumed was just the bath towel.

"Ooo" the bluenette cooed as they held one another. "You seem a little stiff tonight ~" she giggled.

Adrien smiled and squeezed her for a brief moment before pulling away.

"Actually, I think I fell asleep on my keys-" the blonde replied to her bashfully, a slight pained look om his face before he leaned down to press a swift kiss to her lips.

Marinette hummed against his lips as the two shared a simple yet sweet kiss.

"I guess we both had a long day." She groaned between kisses.

Adrien hummed in response, his lips still moving against hers. The blonde couldn't move away from her lips, he enjoyed each kiss they shared.

"I left the shower on for you. I'll meet you in bed when you come back."

Marinette hummed one last time before she pulled away.

"Alright. I'll be back." She yawned as she wandered over to the bathroom for a shower.

Adrien grabbed his phone, his digit scrolling over the screen as he checked his email for his schedule for the next day.

Marinette wasted no time and stripped the moment she got to the bathroom. She wiped off all of her makeup, untied her bun and hopped into the shower.

Anyone would have thought she was having sex, or even touching herself by the way she moaned when the water touched her skin.

Even warm droplet calmed her tense muscles underneath. She closed her eyes, relaxing as she allowed her mind to go over the sketches she had worked with Luka earlier in the day.

Marinette took her time as she cleaned herself up, washing her hair and her body before she stepped out of the shower with such a great apprehension to do so.

She had semi- dried herself up with the bathroom towel. She wrapped it around herself, picked up her discarded clothes and went back to their bedroom.

Adrien still sat on the bed in his bath towel. His hair had dried up a little bit since Marinette had last seen him.

"So...does the model in you mean that you don't have to wear any clothes?" Marinette asked as she stood in the doorway. "I could have sworn that I took my time in the shower." She simply threw her clothes into the laundry bin.

"I guess I lost track of time..." Adrien replied, tossing his phone to the side. His green eyes then looked up at Marinette as she dropped her bath towel and then reached for her hair brush.

Marinette awkwardly crossed her legs, nonchalantly brushing her hair.

They had been through so much together, Marinette didn't think much about being naked around Adrien.

He was her fiance after all. Back when she was pregnant, he often took her when her hormones begged for him.

Adrien allowed his eyes to fall lower down her body, catching a glimpse of her thigh partially covering her unclothed mound due to her awkward stance.

His eyes traced down the color of her pale skin, before he caught a glimpse of her dark hair.

It was as if his heart wanted to leap out of his chest. Even after all this time he still wanted her. He craved her.

Marinette paused, the brush midway through her hair. Blue eyes followed him as he stood up from the bed. A deep blush rushed down to her chest and the brush fell out of her hand as his towel fell from his hips.

Her heart hammered wildly against her chest and she tried to keep her eyes away from what stood at attention between his legs. Instead, her eyes closed as Adrien captured her lips.

She immediately ran her hands through his hair as she kissed him back. Her lips moved against his, her breath labouring as this kiss wasn't like any of the kisses they shared before throughout the day.

This kiss was passionate, it was needy, it was full of desire. His tongue slowly slid past her lips, sliding against her tongue.

Marinette whimpered, trying not to be too noisy as her son and both their kwamis were in the next room.

Her tongue immediately couteracted, swirling around his tongue and pushing back in a fight for dominance.

A low moan escaped from his throat as he dipped his tongue into her cheek, tasting her appropriately.

Her hands tugging in his hair was further proof that she was just as needy as he was.

She broke the kiss for a mere second to catch her breath before she attacked his mouth once more.

She whined as he pulled away, his mouth latching on to her neck and sucking.

The blunette bit her lip, leaning into his kisses as he left a trail of wet kisses along her neck and collarbone.

"O-oh-" she breathed out as his tongue slowly circled the swell of her breast before his lips lightly laced around her nipple.

Part of her worried about leakage of her breast milk, but all of that washed away as his tongue circled around her sensitive nub until it harderned between his lips.

Her breath quivered as her nipple fell from his lips and he traveled to the next nipple. His lips laced around her other nipple, his tongue circling the nub while his other hand gripped the other breast gently.

Marinette was almost embarassed to realize just how the smallest things he did to her, made the biggest mess out of her.

She was wet.

She had gotten wet from just a hot kiss and a nipple lick. Marinette could have sworn she would die right then and there.

She just had a shower!

Her train of thought was completely deterred as his hand left her breast and then began to slowly travel down her body.

Her skin was just so soft, he couldn't help himself.

His fingers traced down her toned abs and down past her navel.

Marinette gasped as his fingers dipped into the wet slit of her sex.

Adrien was pleasantly surprised as he felt her slickness. He curiously dipped his fingers inside deeper, his digit running up the front of her pussy.

She wanted to hide against him, it had been awhile since he touched her and she found herself becoming bashfull all over again.

Adrien prodded at her entrance with his fingertips very carefully before he decided not to enter her.

He had something else in mind. His other hand grabbed her hips, carefully leading her back to bed. He kissed her one last time before he lay her down against the bed.

Marinette placed both of her hands across her face. She was possibly redder than a tomato at this point. She was much too shy to see what he had planned, but she felt his hands at the back of her knees.

"Relax...we've done this before, Princess..." he cooed towards her, the huskiness in his voice making her head spin. She felt him guiding her legs open, and he bent them, placing them across his shoulders.

Wait...his shoulders?!

Marinette widened her eyes beneath her hands as she realized what he intended to do.

Before she could find it in her mind to protest his tongue dipped into the slit of her sex, his wet muscle spreading her folds open as if her delicate flower bloomed open in the sun.

"A-Adrien~" Marinette whined, her thighs immediately clamping around his face. Her hands quickly reached down and tugged at his hair.

His tongue dragged up to the front of her sex, circling her sensitive clit that throbbed achingly between her folds before he dragged his tongue back down to her entrance.

A low moan escaped Adrien's throat as he tasted the sweet nectar between her soft petals.

Marinette lifted her hips, bumping them into his face with an urgent need.

Adrien was more than happy to comply, he instead opened his mouth completely against her. His wet lips moved against her folds, his tongue still swiping and passing through her slit, and even for a moment sucking on her clit.

Marinette bit her lip, her heart racing. She had been so sensitive she was about ready to release. Each pass and swipe of his tongue only took her higher and higher.

None of these licks were experimental licks. No, no...

These were meticulous and adamant licks that only warned Marinette that he had been craving a taste of her for quite some time.

Marinette bit her lip, her body twitched as she tried everything in her to be quiet. Adrien had no mercy on her, his tongue continuously tasting and laving at her pussy with such reckless abandon that it was almost criminal.

She was winding up, tighter and tighter. Her body and soul grew as taut as a guitar string, and then she finally snapped.

Adrien relaxed, allowing his face to move along with her rolling hips as she rode out her orgasm.

The blunette struggled to catch her breath as she fell like puddy into the bedsheets.

Adrien allowed her legs to fall off of his shoulders, and flat on to the bed.

The blonde licked his lips, savouring the taste of her release as he pulled away from her opening.

Marinette was finally able to open her eyes. Using whatever strength she had left, she turned over to her stomach and gripped on to the bedsheets.

She wanted to move to her side of the bed so he could lay next to her, she couldn't find the strength in her to move. She made a mental note to not deny herself any sexual pleasure, even if it meant touching herself.

Adrien's hands were at her hips, and he lifted them. Marinette pressed her knees flat against the bed as her upper body lazily draped against the bed awkwardly.

Her blush continued to radiate against her freckled cheeks as Marinette allowed Adrien to take control once again. With her lower body propped up awkwardly, Adrien wrapped his arms around her and held her.

His lips pressed against her shoulder and he carefully sheathed his length into her sex completely.

Marinette widened her eyes and gripped on to the bedsheets as a quiet gasp emitted from both of their lips.

Her, because she wasn't sure if could properly remember how well endowed he was, but in that moment in time he definitely seemed like he was.

Him, because of the lack of sexual favours for them both over the course of two years. She wrapped around him tightly. She was warm, wet and soft. He could have came right then and there, but Adrien was a repressed man. He was able to refrain for a substantial amount of time before it became too much.

His hands slid up her body and gently groped her breasts.

Marinette whimpered, nearly drooling into the sheets the moment his thumbs ran over her pert nipples.

Adrien carefully withdrew, his body pressing against her completely as he submerged himself back inside of her again.

Marinette squirmed slightly underneath him, as she felt him slide deep inside of her.

The bluenette knew she was truly fucked, as Adrien took his time with her. He wasn't moving fast, he thrust into her slowly, allowing her to feel every inch of his length dispersed between the walls of her body.

And he liked it.

He liked the way he drove her crazy, the way she squirmed underneath him. He loved the way her sex squeezed tightly around him as he knew she needed him as much as he did.

He continued to press soft kisses against the back of her neck.

Marinette tensed when he pushed into a bundle of sensitive nerves deep within her. Her body trembled like petals in the wind as his movements became less and less meticulous, and more and more visceral. She listened to his whimpers and moans in her ear as well as his laboured breathing, and Marinette didn't think it was possible for him to be anymore sexier than he was.

She was sure that Adrien was losing the battle.

And he certainly was.

He allowed himself to get lost in her. The blonde bit his lip and rolled his hips against her, his skin slapping against her as he began to fuck her face first into the bed.

Marinette squeezed her eyes shut as he carelessly thrust in her.

"A-Ah! Ngh- Adrien!" She whimpered into the sheets, hoping the fabric was able to stifle her moans. Her hands gripped harder on to the sheets until her knucles grew white.

Adrien felt himself growing closer, his hips crookedly rolled into her. She was just so wet and enticing, it was too hard to control himself.

His arms tightened around her and he pulled her close.

Marinette grew still the moment he thrust inside of her one last time and held.

She closed her eyes, feeling almost every muscle in his body tremble. He twitched inside of her, and she bit her lip, already being all too familar with that sensation.

It was warm, and Marinette orgasmed on the spot. She whimpered, her legs trembling as he spilled inside of her. She remained still, allowing his hips to twitch against her. She hummed a satisfied tune, letting him ride out his orgasm, just as he allowed her to many times before.

Marinette melted completely into the bed. She was spent and she had no strength or even the intention to move.

Adrien didn't move either. He kept his arms around her and continued holding her until they caught their breath.

He wanted to remain inside of her, but he knew that was unsustainable.

After what felt like an eternity and a day, he carefully withdrew from his beloved and plopped next to her.

Marinette, still being in her high, reached out to him. Adrien wrapped his arms around her and tugged her close.

"Are you alright? Did it hurt?" He asked, his voice hoarse. He quite remembered some whimpering, hoping none of them were from a bit of an overwhelming sensation.

Marinette hummed, hardly able to keep her eyes open.

"Well...that's definitely a good way to end a long day. I may wake up a little sore, but I think I can go as far as to say this was one of the best days of my life."

Adrien chuckled as she slurred. He reached down and pulled the blanket over the both of them.

"I love you..." he murmured into her hair.

Marinette blushed once more as her heart fluttered, she kept her face buried into his chest as she was succumbing into her exhaustion.

"I love you too..." she slurred.

Adrien reached to the bedside table and shut off the light as his girl snoozed beside him.

Perhaps he'll ask her about her day at work tomorrow.

A/N: I warned you that there will be NSFW. I hope you enjoyed sinners!

Also I just learned that the person I'm dating has been reading my stories. Lolol. So...

If you are reading this, my love...you know who you are. I love you so much baby!


	4. Chapter 3

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS ADULT CONTENT AND GRAPHIC CONVERSATIONS. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

She was sore.

There definitely was some soreness between her legs. She didn't want to open her eyes and she certainly didn't want to get up.

Her responsibilities already nagged away at her mind.

Louis needs to eat.

He needs to be bathed.

Is he okay?

Is he watching Tv?

What time was it?

Did Adrien leave yet?

How long was she asleep for?

She needed to see her parents. She promised them. Louis asked for them.

She needed to get up.

Marinette struggled to get herself out of sleeping, but it was a lot more difficult since she did have quite a few orgasms the night before.

With her face buried into the pillows, Marinette searched the space beside her with her hand. Her hand wandered across the bedsheets as she hoped to find someone there. She half expected Adrien to grab her hand and place a gentle kiss to her knuckles the way he always did.

But...there was no one. The bed was empty.

She groaned, her hand slowly retracting back to under her pillow.

"Marinette?" Tikki asked, poking her head in. "Are you alright?" The kwami asked, allowing herself inside.

Marinette simply hummed.

"Yeah...I was hoping to catch Adrien before he left to work..." the blunette yawned before propping herself up on her elbows. She rolled over and clutched the blanket over her chest as she was still naked.

She placed her hand over her eyes and sighed. She tried to deny the ache between her legs, as she had a lot to do today.

"Maybe he didn't want to wake you up!" Tikki, suggested sitting on the space beside Marinette's head.

"Always the gentleman right?" Marinette chuckled before she slowly sat up.

A kind gentleman who roughly mounted her the night before and almost left her oversleep the next day with an undeniable ache of their rendezvous.

It was so like him.

"Guess I should grab another shower."

"I don't know why you hate this job so much! This food is amazing! Buffets that go on forever is a dream come true!" Plagg exclaimed as he popped a rather large piece of cheese in his mouth.

Adrien rolled his eyes, used to his Kwamis quirky antics.

"Yeah...well when you can't exactly eat everything on the table there's no fun in it." Adrien muttered, reaching out to poke his Kwami's belly. "And not all of us are bottomless pits. Now hurry up and hide before someone sees you..."

The last thing Adrien wanted was to have had his kwami eat half of the buffet, and then be blamed for it.

Technically he wasn't supposed to be around the buffet table let alone eat from it.

Adrien was on a strict diet, he had to be a certain size to fit most of his father's clothes, as well as the designs of other people who worked with him.

Of course Adrien veered off of them often. He didn't care too much for dieting. When he was around Marinette all he wanted to do was eat.

She made amazing pastries, and made spaghetti without the olives! He didn't care about his appearance when he was around her.

He could wake up with drool pooling out from the edges of his lips, and still felt like a million bucks when he was around her.

With the sales of the Agreste's fashion line skyrocketing the way it did, it was becoming increasingly hard to sneak food in every now and again.

It was hard to keep track of who his father hired and fired over the last two years, but Adrien was fond of one in particular.

Camille.

Camille was a nice woman who ran the sets and photoshoots. It was probably the first time he liked someone his father hired so much.

Although she was an older lady, Adrien couldn't help but to feel leveled with her. She seemed so down to earth and was incredibly nurturing. She was like a mother to him. It was nice to have a bit of warmth in the work atmosphere, Camille kept him sane enough until he could go home to his fiance and child.

Plagg flew into the collar of Adrien's shirt, and the blonde turned quickly to make way towards his dressing room.

"Adrien!" A voice called out to him.

Speaking of the devil.

Adrien smiled brightly, his eyes meeting with her dark brown eyes as she approached him.

"What are you doing here? Everyone is set up and waiting for you" Camille murmured, grabbing his arm and ushering him to the dressing room.

Adrien, who was not eager enough for her enthusiasm, accidentally tripped over his own feet but quickly regained his balance.

"You have quite a bit of outfits they want you to pose for. Lastly its a swimsuit...you'll have another model who will pose with you." Camille laid out flatly.

"Perfect" Adrien deadpanned, just wanting to get the day over with. He wasn't sure how he felt about posing half naked with a stranger.

"So..." Camille paused as she looked back at him. "I really hope you had a tasty meal last night. You know they're going to starve you today." She sighed.

Adrien paused.

A meal? His cheeks flushed as his mind wandered over to the darkest crevices of his spotless mind.

Flashbacks of the night before flooded his mind and out of all places!

He still saw himself, his face buried between Marinette's legs as he hungrily lapped at her core with a careless finesse.

"Yeah...definitely had something tasty last night." He grinned.

Camille didn't seem to catch the reference as she took it simply.

"Good. Now get changed. You will do these solo and someone will be in to give you the rest of the accessories."

Adrien hummed in acknowledgment and passed by her, taking the initiative and hiding away in his dressing room.

Adrien was almost sure he could hear plaggs eyes roll through his shirt

The creature poked his head out of his collar and floated to the stack of towels sitting by his vanity.

Adrien went through the hangers of clothing, his frown deepening as he went through the racks.

He couldn't imagine anyone wearing anything like this in day to day life. A lot of the fabrics were too abrasive or itchy. Half of the time he wondered if people just made these things to present on the cat walk or magazines and then just scrapped them afterwards.

A lot of the shirts were small, and Adrien felt his heart plummet.

"These shirts aren't going to fit me..." he pondered. "I haven't been starving myself lately." Adrien looked back at Plagg.

"My meals are warm now, and I'm not eating alone..." Adrien continued, picking a few pieces of clothing off their racks.

"Louis loves to share, so I can't really deny him when he offers me a bite of his dinner. I think it makes it more fun for him. Plus, the face he makes when I tell him no..." Adrien looked back to Plagg for confirmation. "You know the face!"

Plagg rolled his eyes, listening to Adrien laugh at the remembrance of his son's face.

"I know the face all too well..." Plagg mumbled, looking away. A small smile crept on to the little kwamis face as he had grown a soft spot for the little one.

Adrien sighed, reaching the last rack. He pulled the hanger to look at the tight swimming trunks that hung off the plastic.

"Great..." he muttered, picking at the fabric with his fingers. "These...look like tight underwear. Can these get any tighter?"

Plagg poked his head up to look at the item.

"You think everyone can see my dick in these..." Adrien grumbled.

The kwami snorted. "You're right. I suppose that's just for Marinette to see?"

Adrien shot a hard glare at his kwami.

"I'm saying... that there's no point in wearing clothes, if you're just going to wear clothes that will reveal you anyway. I'm better off doing porn. Getting paid to be naked and sexualized in front of a camera..."

Is that what modeling was about? Was nude modeling a thing?

"You think there's more money in that?" Plagg teased. "You'll get to eat as much as you like. I hear people don't care if porn stars are heavy."

Adrien bit his lip. He placed the swimsuit- underwear back on the rack. He removed his shirt and immediately began to change. "Well...porn is acting, isn't it?" Adrien pondered. "Acting and modeling kind of go hand in hand..."

Plagg immediately perked up, his eyes widening in horror.

"What? You're not really considering going into that industry are you?"

Adrien chuckled at his kwamis reaction.

"No. Of course not. It seems a bit too exotic for my taste. I don't like being naked in front of a camera-" he looked back at Plagg briefly before sliding on one of the itchy shirts the crew had prepared for him. "-Even though I'll be basically naked at the end of this photoshoot...and with a stranger.-" PORN!

"Plus...Marinette would completely castrate me. My dad would kill me...and strangers will see me...having sex or getting a blow job. That stuff is personal to me."

Plagg rolled his eyes, groaning as he buried himself into the towels. Adrien barely got his pants on when he heard a knock on the door.

"Adrien...hair and makeup is here to see you-" Camille's muffled voice emanated from behind the door.

"Alright!" Adrien exclaimed, hopping into his pants. "Give me a few minutes!" His eyes turned to glance at his kwami, urging him to stay hidden.

"Mama! Ahhh!" Louis exclaimed, pushing his spoon of rice into Marinette's cheek.

Marinette kept well on her promise

After a shared shower with Louis, Marinette was dressed and was on her way to her parents.

Correction: the gorilla man was outside parked and waiting to give her and her toddler a lift.

Of course her parents had prepared food for her and the little one. It was as if they knew little Louis was a black hole. He ate everything and anything, but of course he didn't do so without sharing.

Marinette had shown her parents a few drafted out seating arrangements for her wedding. She had no idea what she was doing. She wanted her parent's advice but couldn't really say much with Louis jamming a spoonful of rice into her mouth.

Marinette graciously accepted his food offering, but she really just wanted Louis to eat.

"Make sure you eat some of it too." Marinette murmured, running her hand through his hair. "Mommy's full."

Louis nodded, scooping up a spoon of rice and eating some before he was off to find someone else to share his food with.

"Tikki! Tikki!" Louis exclaimed, grabbing his bowl and looking around.

Marinette tensed, along with Tikki inside of her sweater pocket. She looked up at her mother who then in turn looked at Louis with a perked brow.

"Tikki?" Sabine asked, turning her head to look at Tom who seemed just as clueless as she was.

"Whose Tikki?"

Marinette widened her eyes and adjusted her position.

"Erm...Tikki...is his imaginary friend!" She chuckled nervously. "They play all the time...I guess his friend didn't show up today." Marinette whipped her head back to Louis.

"Louis..." Marinette urged, grabbing the little blonde's attention.

Louis looked back at his mom with wide blue eyes.

"Why don't you sit down and eat, honey. If you behave we can visit daddy at work."

Louis smiled, his heart racing at the thought of going "bye bye"and seeing his father.

"Okay mommy. I be good" he grinned, sitting down and picking at his food.

Marinette sighed, looking back at her parents. She wasn't sure about visiting Adrien that day [if it were allowed] but she had the intention to at one point, whenever she had time.

But for right now she was grateful she had bought some time. The last thing she wanted was for her parents to snoop around, investigating her double life after hearing about Tikki.

"So...back to the drawing board." Marinette intejecting, attempting to change the subject almost immediately.

"I didn't know...where to seat everyone. Am I having a traditional Chinese wedding? A modern Chinese wedding? Just a traditional French Wedding? I need to find a dress..." She leaned over and pressed her fingers to her temple.

Marinette paused as her mother reached over and grabbed her hand. Her thumb circled around the diamond that sparkled on her left hand.

"Sweetheart, relax." Her mother whispered. "Its going to be fine. When you get the chance, bring Adrien here and we can discuss plans that are in the best interest for both families. But do what you both want to do. We want our bride and groom to be happy."

Marinette listened to her mothers words and sighed.

"You're right..." her eyes drifted off to a random magazine that sat on the kitchen table.

Much to her irony the front cover had a nice photo of her future husband.

"We've been laying it low for now...the press has been going nuts with our engagement. We didn't want Adrien to be hounded by fans, and I didn't want to be hounded by paparazzi. Its become extremely difficult. His body guard has been picking me up and taking me everywhere until we can get things figured out..." the blunettes voice trailed off slightly.

"I assume..." her father interjected, grabbing his daughter's other hand.

"This is life that comes in the fast lane...when you're one of Paris' top lead designers...and not just Adrien's future wife..."

Marinette looked at her father, chuckling slightly at his choice of words. Her eyes soon veered off to look down at the magazine on the table, wondering who else had a copy and admired her husband the way she did.

And someone certainly did.

Someone who Marinette was all too familiar with...

Adrien wobbled back into his dressing room.

Modeling may not have seemed like a lot of work from the outside, but it definitely was more than what it appeared. He shut the door behind him and started to hop into his next suit.

His neck hurt, and his eyes burned from the bright lights and the bright backdrops. His stomach was growling and Adrien figured that if he finished early he could go home and bother Marinette.

It has been several hours, and he missed his family like hell. He picked the last piece of clothing on the rack and groaned.

It was the swimsuit underwear again.

"Oh...great, its that time already?" The model grimaced. He looked back at Plagg who simply shrugged.

Adrien contemplated shedding his underwear, it would fit a bit awkward if he kept his boxer shorts underneath, and the sight of it would look incredibly ghastly. Adrien knew he had a robe somewhere, if anything he knew he could just put it on and go.

And with that, Adrien tugged his underwear off his hips and slid them down his legs.

He picked them up and hung them over the rack.

He grabbed the swuimsuit with a grimace.

They looked so tight.

Adrien nearly jumped out of his skin as he heard a knock at the door.

"Adrien!" Camille called out once more.

Adrien flushed deeply.

"I-I-I'm not ready yet!" He stuttered.

"I know-" Camille interjected.

"I'm just letting you know. Someone requested to see you. A cute girl in pigtails."

Adrien perked at the last bit.

He had a visitor?

A cute girl in pigtails? He knew a cute girl in pigtails. He felt his heart leap out of his chest and he bubbled with so much excitement that he nearly ran out of his dressing room naked.

Adrien struggled to put on his swimsuit, wincing as he felt his junk press up against his body. He's heard from other fans that he's had a tight ass, but its not like he wanted thousands of photos of it being displayed on the front cover of the magazine for the world to see.

Adrien pulled on his robe and tied it on.

The model nearly bolted out of his room, his eyes searching for the cute girl in pigtails.

He found the girl in pigtails...

But it wasn't his girl.

In fact, Adrien knew the girl, and the last he was concerned he wasn't fond of this girl either.

Adrien nearly spun on his heels and began to walk back to his dressing room with a soul of dissapointment.

"Adrien- Wait!" Lila exclaimed as he spun the moment he saw her.

"Hey-Adrien!" She called out again, running out to him and catching him before he could escape.

"Its me!" She breathed, wrapping her arms around him. "Lila! Don't you remember me?" She asked, pulling back.

Adrien sighed, he offered her a weak smile and nodded.

"Yeah...I remember you..." his voice trailed off as he looked around awkwardly. She really was the last person he expected to see. "I...erm...think the real question is why you're here..."

Lila rolled her eyes at his comment and she pulled back.

"I'm surprised no one told you." She carefully opened her Sarong, revealing her milky tan breasts in an orange bikini.

She was such an unpleasantly erotic sight, it almost made Adrien blush with embarassment.

"I'm your model partner for today..." she replied, guiding his hand to her waist. The girl pressed herself against him, her fingers lightly teasing the tie on his robe. "Better suit up for the camera...we are going to be on every cover of every magazine..."

Adrien groaned, his heart racing. He was worried about having to be sexually wrapped around a stranger in his swimsuit underwear when all along he had to be worried about being sexually entangled around Lila in front of a camera.

Can this day get any worse?

A/N: I see y'all doubting Marinette in that last chapter!


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: Have a small unbeta'd chapter of LadyNoir fluff and boobie talk.

Marinette looked down at the magazine Alya plopped on to the table top.

Marinette finally found some free time to enjoy a nice cup of joe with Alya. They always spent their time at Coutume Café. Marinette knew Alya was busy traveling the word with Nino, but to call her out on such short notice on her break, the bluenette couldn't help but to be worried.

It had to be important, right?

Marinette placed her mug down and lifted up the magazine, her face twisting at the image of her Adrien, half naked and entangled around a stranger.

Their lips were nearly latched, and he held her so tight that her tan breasts nearly mounted over the crevices of his chest.

"This is on every cover in Italy." Alya sighed. "Literally everywhere..."

Marinette felt her heart race. She couldn't help but to feel a little envious about the unknown woman he was embracing in the photo.

But she felt so silly...

This was just business. She knew he was hers, but there was always this doubt that someone could always take him from her.

The more she thought of it, the more sillier she felt.

She was wearing his ring. She carried his child for nine months and cared enough for them both to give birth to his child, and for heaven's sake his face was buried between her thighs a few nights ago.

The bluenette cleared her throat, straightening up.

Of course, she was just being silly.

"Is this what you called me out for? I thought this was an emergency." Marinette chuckled, looking up at her friend.

Alya scoffed and she plopped back down in her seat.

"Of course this is an emergency! Do you not notice anything about the girl? Look! Look at her!" Alya ushered, grabbing the magazine and nearly shoving it in Marinette's face.

Marinette snatched the magazine from her friend and forced herself to look at the photo.

She really didn't want to look at this damn photo anymore.

"What? That she has huge tits?" She asked, looking back up at Alya and tossing the magazine back on the tabletop.

Alya rolled her eyes.

"Aside from her huge knockers...if you look closer at her face, you'll realize that its Lila."

Marinette immediately tensed at that name, and she immediately grabbed the magazine, now glancing at her face closely.

Shit...

"Lila?"

Flat...

Marinette never knew she'd be so concerned with her chest size. As crazy as it sounded, she couldn't get the image of Lila's gigantic knockers out of her head

She sighed, feeling much more self conscious than ever. As her alter Ego, she never really cared about how she looked in her super suit, but now...

The material clung on to her smaller breasts and she noticed them more now than she ever did. She thought breasts got bigger during pregnancy, which was true...but they didn't grow that much bigger.

She was internally screaming at herself.

This was all too stupid.

Ladybug kept her eyes fixated on the billboard of her fiance embracing a double D breasted tanned minx.

Her brow furrowed, and a frown tugged at the edges of her lips.

She

Hated

That

Photo.

"Is...something on your mind?" Chat Noir asked the bug. "You've been quiet throughout this whole patrol..."

He had a hunch about what was bothering her, but he hoped he was wrong.

Ladybug sighed, and she sat down on the rooftop beneath their feet.

"Out of all people, why did they pick Lila?" Ladybug asked, turning her head to look at Chat, who watched her with a grimace.

"I...have no idea..." Chat sighed as he took a seat beside the heroine and leaned on her. "But I'm glad its over with. I hope I don't see her again..."

Ladybug glared at the photo, the way their lips brushed against one another, the way their eyes nearly matched with each other. The way she held on to him and the way he held on to her drove her completely insane.

"You seem quite inclined to her..." Ladybug muttered, her face contorting into displeasure.

Chat sighed.

There it was.

The jealous Marinette. He swore she was a lot to work with, but she was so fucking cute he couldn't stay mad at her.

He shifted, grabbing her hips and swiftly pulling her into his lap.

Ladybug squeaked as she was guided to his lap, blinking as Chat Noir wrapped his arms around her.

"She picked the pose...probably the only pose that we were...positioned that way. I really didn't like being around her. The other frames they complained were too awkward and distant. Plus...Photoshop played a huge part in the outcome..." his arms squeezed around her.

Ladybug grumbled, her blue eyes simply glaring.

"Do...do you think I'm...small?" She cleared her throat, her heart pounding. "Like...do you think I'm flat? Perhaps you prefer them bigger?"

Chat furrowed his brow at her comment, his eyes flickered over to the billboard, now noticing that she was speaking about Lila's chest size.

"No. I don't think you're flat. Your breasts are beautiful. You are beautiful the way you are." Chat murmured, nuzzling his face into her soft hair.

Ladybug heard him, but she wasn't exactly listening.

"Are you sure? I...uhm...know they're small...and the fact that I had a baby didn't change them. I know that some guys like bigger breasts and-"

"Ladybug, stop." Chat interjected.

"Everyone has their own preferences for breast size. You are my lady and I prefer you over anything. I prefer your breast size, I prefer your ass, I prefer your face, I just prefer you. I love you, and I only want you."

Ladybug blushed, biting her lip.

"A-Are you sure? Small breasts are no fun..." she replied, leaning into him as she finally pulled her eyes away from the billboard.

"Fun? Of course they're fun~" Chat murmured against her neck. His hands reached around her small frame and cupped both her breasts. He squeezed the soft mounds in both palms, and chuckled.

"See? They fit perfectly in my hands. I prefer them this way." He teased, his hands continuing to squeeze.

Ladybug squeaked, her eyes widened as his hands squeezed her chest.

"Hey!" She giggled, reaching to smack his hands away.

"Paws off!" She hummed, relaxing into him more so as his hands simply rested at her waist.

"I ate you out four days ago...you didn't want me to NOT touch you then~" he teased, wiggling his brows.

"Okay kitty-" Ladybug said flatly and climbed out of his lap. "I'm gonna go now."

The heroine grabbed her yoyo, ignoring her feline partner as he immediately pined after her.

"Wait wait wait! I'm sorry, I was jist teasing!" He pouted, catching up to her.

Ladybug pat his shoulder.

"We should be heading back. Louis won't leave my parent's house if we don't get him now." The bug sigued as she looked out to the sunset a hundred miles away. "Plus I have to measure Luka tomorrow and get-"

"Luka?" Chat interrupted. "Luka Couffaine? That guy you used to date?"

Ladybug pursed her lips.

"Erm...yeah...but that was years ago, kitty...I don't even think he remembers it that well. He treats me like a stranger and-"

"You work with him?" Chat Noir interrupted again.

Ladybug puffed her cheeks.

"And its strictly proffessional-" she finished. "He's just wearing my clothes...that's all."

Chat Noir subtly nodded.

"I know...I know..." he sighed. Perhaps he had the same insecurities as she did. Adrien always felt insecure and worthless, but with the images of Nathan planting kisses on her didn't exactly boost his confidence either.

"I...wanted to ask you about your day at work a couple nights ago..." the hero blushed, rubbing the back of his neck bashfully. "But...I think we got distracted..."

The heroine looked at him, giggling slightly as she gripped her yoyo.

"Alright kitty...I'll explain it to you on the way then."


	6. Chapter 5

"So...do you know any great places to eat around here?" Luka asked, keeping his arms up as Marinette wrapped the measuring tape around his waist.

Marinette rolled her eyes with a small smile. She had to admit it was quite strange.

It seemed like he didn't remember anything, or perhaps trying to appear like he didn't.

"You're saying you don't know Paris?" She asked, retracting her measuring tape. "I thought you've lived here your whole life..."

Luka nodded, watching the blunette as she stood up. She seemed a little bit off. Perhaps she slept wrong.

"I mean...yeah, but I go away a lot. Things change, people come and go." He explained, a small smile spreading across his face.

Marinette nodded, placing her tape back on to her desk and scribbling down his measurements on her notepad.

"Things don't change around here much..." she sighed. "I don't think you've changed...I mean since we dated in middle school."

She pursed her lips, perhaps it was a bold thing to say, but she didn't have much to lose.

She remembered them being good friends, even after they broke up.

She ran after Adrien that one afternoon and then Luka disappeared.

She did feel a bit guilty, and wondered if she had any part to do with it, and how he even landed into modeling was beyond her.

"Do you remember me?" Marinette asked, as she began to sketch a pair of black, slightly torn jeans on to her sketch book, adding his measurements on the side.

Luka stuffed his hands in his pockets, leaning on the desk beside him.

"Of course I remember you, Marinette. Middle school wasn't too long ago..."

Marinette paused, looking up at him.

"No...I guess it wasn't..." a small blush dusted her cheeks. "Septime...its a good place to eat. Although sometimes I could be biased and say that my parent's make great pies."

Luka nodded in acknowledgement.

"Perhaps... when we go out to buy some fabrics for the clothes you're going to sew, you could accompany me to some lunch? Its on me..."

Marinette cleared her throat, a deep blush rising to her cheeks once more.

She wasn't going to make this mistake again.

"Actually..." Marinette looked up at him. "I'm-"

"Engaged" Luka interjected, finishing her sentence for her. "To Adrien..." his blue eyes glanced down briefly as he vividly remembered her running after him those years ago.

"I know... but the lunch I was offering was meant to be platonic. I just wanted to catch up with you again. I respect your relationship with Adrien."

The bluenette blinked, wrapping her head around what he had said.

"H-How did you know about my engagement?" She asked, glancing back down at her sketch book before clutching it to her chest.

"Its pretty much everywhere... every blog is covering it, everyone is talking about it. Also, its hard to miss the diamond on your hand. Very beautiful by the way. Adrien's lucky..." his voice trailed off.

Her heart pounded and she glanced down at her ring, suddenly feeling bashful of it. She curled her fingers, tucking it under the pages of her book.

"Okay...sure. I'd love to catch up with you." She turned and reached for her purse.

"But...I have to admit. I'm quite surprised my engagement was highly publicized. But then again...this is Adrien we're talking about." She placed the strap of her purse under her shoulder.

She was massively oblivious.

But someone else wasn't.

Adrien wasn't an irreverant man. Some may say he was probably the most equabled person there ever could be to exist.

It wasn't like Adrien to lose his composure, but lately it had grown increasingly difficult.

Adrien just wanted to get this work day over with. Every time he showed up to the set he literally counted the hours until he was done.

On the rare chances he finally got to eat, he savoured it. The noise on the set often became too much, and on that time he used the rare lunch time to his advantage.

He usually called Marinette or her parents to see how his family was doing. He used that quiet time to talk to his family. It was the one time he didn't mind being alone.

However, this was not like any of those times.

Much to his dismay, Lila had returned.

And she wouldn't stop talking.

Adrien didn't want to believe that she had become a full time model for his father, that was such an inconvenient matter for him, considering that fact that she would not leave him alone.

The lines under his eyes deepened, he couldn't find it in himself to tell her to shut up.

All he could do was simply nod, pretending that he was listening when in reality he'd zone out and then slowly fade back in to the sound of her rampant talking.

Adrien was well aware of her reputation, and he knew that she was a liar. So he didn't care much for her stories. He was a million percent sure that about half of the stories she told him were lies.

"Adrien?" Lila mused, jumping Adrien from his thoughts. He glanced down at his phone, a little dissapointed that Marinette didn't text him. She usually did. He bit his lip, wondering what she was up to.

"Sorry, Lila. I was...expecting a phone call." He explained.

Lila pursed her lips. She glided her chair closer to him.

"Well...you know...I am here talking to you, Adrien. I was hoping we could spend more time together now that I'll be here more often."

Adrien nearly choked on the bread he was chewing on. He coughed, gulping the food in his mouth.

"I'm sorry...why...w-w-why would you be here...in this...building...erm..this area often?" He stammered.

Lila giggled, running her hands up his collarbone with a small smile.

"Adrien...I work here now. I've been trying to get the bosses to make me you know...your main partner, but it'll take some time." She rested her head against his chest. "But I work for your father..."

Adrien nearly shook his head at this news.

Did this mean she was a constant nuisance? A full time pain in the ass?! A 24/7 ass hound?!

He grabbed her hands, gently removing them from his chest. He scooted away from her awkwardly.

If he knew Lila was one thing, it would be that she was very pushy.

"Lila...you can't keep throwing yourself on me... I'm happily taken. I have a son, and I'm about to be happily married. I know how the tabloids go insane when it comes to gossip, and I really don't want people to get the wrong idea. I get it, I'll work with you, we have to do some risky poses. Yes, its part of the business we do things that aren't what they really are...but I'm drawing the line when it comes to associating offset..." he sighed, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sure you are an amazing person, I- I mean when we talked while being classmates, you were...great!" He offered her a nervous smile. "But my son and my wife are important to me...and I can't mess that up." He shrugged, letting his hand drop from her shoulder.

Of course Lila knew Adrien was in a relationship.

She knew everything about Adrien. What he ate, who he was friends with. She even knew his favourite foods, his modeling schedule, and his favourite hobbies and colors. She was well aware that he was in a serious relationship, and she knew very well that he was in a serious relationship with Marinette.

But she didn't care.

And as far as she remembered, she never liked Marinette. Adrien was hers, and he always had been hers. Lila never stopped, not until she got what she wanted.

"You haven't even married her yet..." Lila scoffed, rolling her eyes. "That's not for sure...you haven't said your 'I do's' that can always change..." she scooted her chair back towards him, pushing her chest against his arms.

"You can always change your mind. Marriage is a serious thing. Are you sure you want to be trapped with Marinette?" She asked, nearly squishing her chest to his arm.

Adrien was horrified.

And disgusted.

"Trapped?" Adrien repeated in disbelief. He shrugged Lila off. He wasn't so hungry anymore. "I have to go Lila. I'm done...eating. I'll see you on the set.." he grabbed his phone and stumbled away.

Lila glared at him as he left.

This wasn't over...

"I only got into this modeling thing because of you..." Luka murmured, grabbing his cup and taking a sip.

Marinette looked up at him, mid bite of her sandwhich.

She felt a little audacious to continue sketching while she agreed to have a friendly lunch with Luka.

She finished her bite and grabbed her napkin, lightly dabbing it at her lips.

"You...you did?" She asked, placing her napkin down. "I was wondering how you went from musician to fashion model."

Luka smiled, laughing softly at her response. "I still play music. Whenever I have free time, I still tune my guitar a bit. Music is why I left. I wanted to travel, to play music everywhere. In every major city, I wanted to meet artists everywhere. But I knew I couldn't stay away from Paris for too long, so I came back. I was at a shop one night, and I saw a newspaper on the shelf. You and Adrien were engaged, and they were planning to hire you as a lead designer for Audrey's estate... so I pursued a different approach in hopes that I would get to see you again." He looked up at her again. "I guess I got lucky."

Marinette blushed, placing her pencil back into her sketchpad and closing it.

"I...didn't realize you wanted to work with me so bad." She replied, her voice small and quivering. She was truly flattered.

Luka folded his hands against the table, turning his wrist to look at the time.

"Of course I want to work with you. I know it may have not seemed like it, but your friendship meant a lot to me. It still does." He looked back up at her. "I dont need to be your boyfriend to care about you. Your time is very valuable to me, and whatever time I can spend with you, wouldn't be a waste. It would mean a lot to me. I missed out a lot in seeing you achieve in life because I was traveling..." Luka grabbed his cup, finishing his drink. "And now that I get to work with you, I don't have to miss out anymore. That is, if you allow me to be apart of your life." Luka pulled out his wallet, pulling out a few dollars to pay for the tab.

"I have to get somewhere..." he explained, looking back at Marinette who seemed baffled at the whole situation. "I'm glad we got the fabric down, I know whatever you create will be absolutely amazing, Marinette. Because you're amazing..." he placed the money on the table and stuffed his wallet back into his pocket.

The blunette simply blushed. She blushed redder than a tomato, it was almost embarrassing. She glanced up at him, her lips pressed together as she attempted to formulate words in her hand.

She was such an awkward person.

After receiving complete silence from the girl Luka simply smiled.

"I'll see you later..."

He stepped back and pushed his chair in. He made his way to the door casually.

"Wait-" Marinette managed to call out, standing up.

Luka paused, looking back at her.

The blunette glanced at him, reaching up and rubbing the back of her neck with a nervous blush.

"T-Thank you..."

Luka watched her briefly, nodding. He acknowledged her gratitude, giving her one last smile before he turned and left.

Just like that day she went after Adrien.

She sighed, sitting back down on her seat. She looked down at her sketchbook, not planning on getting done so early.

A small smile tugged at her lips as she had an idea of what else she could do when she said she had time. She stuffed the last bites of her sandwhich in her mouth, and grabbed her sketchbook. She stumbled away from her table awkwardly and she left.

Adrien kept his hands in his pockets casually as he posed for the camera.

He did every pose he could think of.

The nonchalant pose, the careful pose, the sexy pose, the distant pose and then the just plain bored pose

He was bored.

He could vaguely feel the eyes of everyone watching him from behind the camera, and for the first time in his life he was actually camera shy.

"Alright! Thats a wrap!" Camille announced and Adrien sighed.

Finally.

Adrien caught a glimpse of Lila as she sat in the back of the room, twirling with the messy bun on the top of her head.

The blonde rolled his eyes, strolling back to his dressing room.

If he didn't have to model with her, then he didn't need to talk to her, look at her or even breathe in her direction.

He closed the door beside him and rubbed his eyes.

He was tired, and it was such a long day. He barely had gotten his shirt off when he heard a knock at the door and he groaned loudly.

Plagg rolled his eyes, keeping himself comfortable on the towels that sat on the vanity.

"What is it...?" Adrien hushed out, his voice uttering the utmost annoyance he probably ever experienced in his entire life.

"Its me, Camille!" The woman sang from behind the door. "A beautiful little lady with a bun is here to see you!"

Adrien could have rolled his eyes to the back of his head.

Lila.

"I guess she didn't get the hint..." he muttered under his breath.

The shadow underneath the door dissapeared, meaning she had left Adrien to deal with the problem on his own.

He heard high heels click towards his door and he already knew the nuisance was awaiting him.

Adrien simply removed his clothes, changing into his everyday wear. He ushered Plagg to jump back into his collar.

Adrien glared at the door as she was still standing there. The blonde rolled his eyes. He took in a deep breath and then opened the door. He turned his back to her, annoyingly slamming the door

He kept his hand on the handle, glaring daggers into it.

"I told you I didn't want to see you unless its about work..." Adrien muttered coldly. "So please, leave me alone..."

"You don't want to see me?"

His eyes widened. He knew that voice.

He immediately whipped his head around, his eyes meeting with a pair of familiar blue eyes.

"Well...I mean...if you want me to leave I can." Marinette replied, hoising Louis on her hips slightly. "But I promised Louis that we'd see you during work..."

Adrien shook his head vigorously.

"No! No no! Please stay!" He gasped, wrapping his arms around her and the little one. "I thought you were someone else." He nuzzled his face into her and the baby.

Louis nearly hopped out of his mother's arms.

"Daddy!" He exclaimed, opening his arms out.

Adrien turned his head and kissed Marinette's cheek softly. "I miss you guys..."

It was nice to see a friendly face, especially after the day he was having. He gently took Louis from her and hugged him.

"I hope the drive wasn't too long..." Adrien sighed, looking at his love.

Marinette shrugged. "It wasn't too bad. Sorry I came so late. I would have finished up earlier, but I lost track of time." She admitted sheepishly. The bluenette leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

"I missed you..." she murmured, rubbing her nose against his.

Adrien smiled, his other arm snaking around her waist. "I missed you too..." he hummed against her lips before he kissed her again.

Louis waited patiently, before he slowly butted his head between the both of them.

He wanted attention too.

Adrien snorted, planting kisses all over his baby's face, earning a laugh from the toddler.

Marinette admired the both of them, her blue eyes catching a glimpse of Lila who glared back at her but only for a moment.

And for a brief time, Marinette felt uncomfortable.

Lila turned her back on the family, leaving the set with a sour taste in her mouth.

"Adrien!" Camille sang once more.

She approached the couple and their toddler.

"What a cutie pie!" She cooed, brushing her finger against Louis' belly. "Your father wanted me to remind you about the charity event he's holding. He needs you to be there..." Camille then turned her eyes to Marinette with a warm smile. "You can reserve your plus one...but she's expected to be there as well. The more publicity the better!"

Marinette felt her tummy roll. She really didn't like attending public events, especially if she and her husband were going to be the center of attention.

"That would be interesting..." Adrien replied, his eyes moving over to Marinette as he knew her all too well.

"I mean...if we have to go..." Marinette interjected. "We can go! I'd love to donate...and if our appearance encourages more people to donate then it would be an honor!" She exclaimed nervously.

"Who knows? Maybe it'll be fun?"

She was more so attempting to convince herself more than the others.

"Whatever you chose, we hope you can make it!" Camille chirped. "Take it easy guys. Adrien, make sure you eat." She then turned to look at the little one who glanced up at her shyly.

"See ya little one." She cooed, brushing her finger against his cheek before leaving.

Marinette watched Camille leave and she groaned.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to, my love. I can come up with an excuse. It's no big deal..." Adrien assured her, keeping her close.

Marinette hummed, contemplating on it for a brief moment. But as everyone knew, she was as stubborn as a mule.

"No...I won't be a wet blanket." She sighed, leaning on him. "I'm sure that if I give it a chance, it'll be fun. Plus, I get to play dress up!"

Adrien smiled, leaning down to kiss her cheek again.

He paused as he smelled something.

Something bad.

He pulled back, furrowing his brow and glancing down at Marinette.

From the look on her face, he knew she could smell it too.

"Erm...did you fart?" He asked, looking down at Marinette who looked like her head was about to explode.

A bloaty red tomato head.

"W-What?! No! That wasn't me!" She stammered. She was ready to die from embarassment.

Louis hummed, a small giggle emanating from his lips as he nuzzled into his dad.

Adrien scrunched his nose and then lifted the toddler up to smell him.

"Aha! Found the culprit!" He grinned, bouncing the baby in his arms.

"I thought mommy farted!" He teased, Louis laughing and flailing his arms.

"It was Mommy!" Louis grinned, looking back at Marinette whose head was about to explode off her shoulders.

"Yeah yeah stinky butt!" Marinette chuckled, running her hands through her son's hair.

"Lets get you changed."


	7. Chapter 6

"You have a goofy face..."

The bluenette was laying flat against her bed, a small blush dusting her cheeks as Chat Noir hovered above her.

Marinette bit her lip, reaching up to touch his face.

Chat Noir furrowed his brow, turning his head to capture her digit between his teeth.

"That's not exactly a term of endearment, you know..." the black feline hero said while glancing down at her.

Marinette giggled, looking up at him the moment he began to bite her fingers.

"What? Its a cute goofy face. You also look silly when you're eating something you like." She hummed, leaning up to press a kiss to Chat's lips. "I haven't actually looked at your face during an orgasm...but I'm sure that looks goofy, too." She teased, leaning up to kiss his lips again.

Chat groaned against her lips, but he was more than happy to kiss back. His lips pressed against hers, and the male leaned down to place a claw in her hair as he followed through with the kiss.

"You better get used to my goofy face... our son is going to look just like me. Its obvious I did all the work."

Marinette pulled away and rolled her eyes with a cheeky grin.

"Yes...because you carried him for nine months and then pushed him out without an epidural." She poked the bell on his chest. "Last time I remembered, you were too busy in the hallway throwing up..."

Chat contorted his face with disgust at the memory.

It was the after birth. That was the culprit. It was also witnessing the baby squeeze out such a small crevice. There was so much blood and so much screaming.

There were many times where he could still hear Marinette's pained cries of giving life to their son.

She was a warrior, with an ass harder than steel.

"Yeah? Well...you threw up on me." He replied back, poking his claw into her cheek. "Remember?"

Marinette widened her eyes and she grabbed her pillow, whacking him with it. "NO! I DON'T REMEMBER!" She screeched.

Chat flinched when the pillow hit him. He tucked his head into her belly, nuzzling into her.

"Liar!" He exclaimed, laughing into her stomach.

Marinette snorted, immediately running her hands through his hair. She didn't want to admit she was quite ticklish.

During the years they both learned more about the other. What antics they habitually grew, their pet peeves, their likes and dislikes. It was truly insane how there was a way they both scratched each other's unusual itches.

Whether it'd be sexually, or just flat out emotionally. Adrien had this keen sense of knowing where Marinette liked to be tentive to, and he did it so well.

"You can't go anywhere looking like that..." the blunette uttered, her eyes shifting down to look at the black cat who flattened his ears and hid against her belly.

She tugged at his blonde hair, furrowing her brow as he refused to move.

This damned cat.

She tugged at his hair harder, earning a quiet whimper from the cat.

Chat Noir simply curled more so into her, his tail lightly wrapping around her wrist. She sighed, plopping her head back on to the pillows underneath her.

"Your dad would be furious if you didn't show..." she sighed, groaning as a part of her didn't want to go herself.

What was wrong with just staying at home? Eating foods, and cuddling up with both her blonde boys while watching a movie sounded like heaven.

"So...Nathalie called today..." Chat murmured, slowly lifting his head to capture her gaze.

Marinette felt a wave of dread wash over her at his information. Usually whenever Gabriel or his staff called in, it was usually because they wanted Adrien to be somewhere, or he did something.

"And what did she want?" Marinette groaned. "Does your father want you to be somewhere else?"

Chat Noir bit his lip. He shifted himself so that he lay beside her, his arms wrapping around her.

"Acutally...she asked me if we could drop Louis off with my father before we go to the event..."

Marinette widened her eyes, her throat feeling dry but at the same time stuffed.

She coughed, nearly choking on her spit with a deep blush as Adrien simply glanced over at her curiously.

"Wait...he wants to see Louis? Our Louis? The Louis in which we have birthed and raised? Our son Louis?" She blinked, her head struggling to wrap around what he said.

Chat chuckled, nodding his head.

"I know, right? That's odd. I had trouble struggling to believe it as well." The blonde sighed, stubbornly pulling Marinette closer. "It does feel unfair that he holds his events, but he doesn't ever make a public appearance... he just stays home and leaves me to be a faceclaim. I'd like to think I'm more of his son than some sort of marketing merchandise..."

Marinette frowned.

She truly felt for him. She wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes. She kissed his head softly, hoping that her embrace would somehow be able to permeate properly. She wanted him to feel like he was a human. He was the love of her life, her fiance and the father to her child.

"Well...to me and Louis...you are a person. My parents like you, our friends like you..." she comforted.

"You're not merchandise...and you're certainly not some sort of volture... just sitting around in your home and watching things from afar. It'd be hard to work at home." She blushed.

She couldnt help but to wonder how lonely Gabriel must have been. His only son moved out, and with his wife gone, he probably didn't have many people to work with.

She nuzzled her face into Chat's hair with a grimace. Perhaps that was why he had requested to see Louis.

And in the way, it seemed a little bit bitter sweet.

It was strange...

But it was sweet.

Only Adrien knew the soft spots of his father, and on rare occasions had even experienced a hug or two. Marinette wouldn't have believed Gabriel was nothing more than a robot had she not seen him hug Adrien with her own two eyes on the cat walk while filming on international TV when they were younger.

"Speaking of Volture..." Chat sighed. "I think I may have one on my hands..." he pressed his lips together, his mind wandering to a certain nuissance at work before wondering if they had some time before they were going to get dressed.

Marinette tensed underneath him, as he was a bit worried that Marinette was suspicious or upset. He furrowed his brow as she began to chuckle a bit.

"Go figure...a cat is afraid of a bird." She snorted.

Chat frowned, his ears flattening against his head completely.

"She's a scary bird...and sharp fingers...and claws rougher than mine..." he hid his face against her. "I just want Lila to go away...far far..away..." he grumbled.

Marinette felt her stomach tie into difficult knots at the sound of Lila's name. Her hand continued to play with his blonde hair, the lines under her eyes deepening with stress.

Marinette was well aware of the handful Lila was, so she was empathetic for the most part. She truly felt bad for her love, having to pose and work with her for hours and hours. She could imagine the great suffering.

With Lila tailing down on her future husband, the wedding they had to plan for, the charity even she was attending with no one else she knew and the simple fact that Gabriel had asked to babysit Louis. Her emotions were all over the place.

Adrien was no less than that. He too was under a mixture of emotions. He wanted nothing more than to curl into Marinette and forget the most of his worries.

She was just so warm and welcoming, and for a brief moment the kitty felt tired. He could have went for a nap, but they both knew there wasn't enough time for it.

"Don't worry..." Marinette assured, smiling as she squeezed him gently. "I'll protect you from the scary bird. I promise."

Chat grinned, listening to her words as her voice put him as ease almost immediately.

"I love you..." he murmured into her skin. He truly did.

The blunette giggled, wrapping both arms around him in an awkward hug.

They both jumped at the sound of her phone alarm.

The pair groaned, hesitantly withdrawing from one another. Marinette grabbed her phone to mute the alarm.

"I guess we should get dressed...and get Louis prepared to spend a day with your father." She snorted.

It was still such a funny thought.

Gabriel wanted to see Louis?

Why the change of heart?

A/N: OMG. 1K READS. GUYS IM SO SO SO HAPPY. I HAD TO PUT THIS SHORT CHAPTER OUT JUST SO I CAN THANK ALL OF YOU. I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH. I DON'T DESERVE YOU. THANKS FOR GIVING MY STORIES A CHANCE


	8. Chapter 7

Marinette glanced at her dress in the mirror.

She had never been to a charity event before and she couldn't help but to feel a bit overdressed. She frowned, feeling a bit down as she wouldn't know anyone there. Besides Adrien, everyone she was aware that planned to arrive she couldn't identify them out of a hole in the wall.

The bluenette couldn't help but to feel a bit bashful.

She always made most of her own clothing, and she was quite proud of them.

Sure, she wasn't a high end fashion designer like Gabriel or Audrey, but to her, the clothes she made were the best on the planet.

So when it came down to it, wearing high end fashion designed clothing was a dream come true, but at the same time a bit overwhelming.

This was something she'd have to get used to.

Something told her that this was going to be an often occurence.

"Am I part of the living merchandise trend?" The blunette snickered, turning over to show her fiance the sparkly shimmering gold dress that was designed by Gabriel himself.

"I'll show a bit of leg, that'll get those sales in." She smiled, reached up to play with the hem that stopped right midknee.

Chat Noir looked up, snorting as Marinette pranced around in stockings.

"You definitely fit the bill." He replied, carefully placing on Louis' little shoe and tightening it securely on his tiny foot.

"Gabriel's merchandise is top notch. You should see his son." Chat hummed, looking back at the bluenette with a cocky grin. "I think you have~"

Marinette rolled her eyes.

This cat.

"Oh how modest of you, Chat Noir. Seems even more modest knowing that you and his 'top notch'-" the blunette replied with an air quote gesture "merchandise...have a lot more in common that I had initially thought."

Chat stood up, immediately catching the bluentte in his arms so he could plant a small kiss to her temple.

"You know you like it~" he teased, wiggling his brows.

Marinette snorted, whimpering as he began to kiss around her face lovingly.

"Chat-" she whined. "Get dressed!" She shyly pushed him away before he turned her into a tomato head by all of his affectionate kisses.

Chat nodded, subtly pulling away from his love.

"Right- Okay I need a suit!" He spun on his heels, heading towards the closet.

Marinette blinked, watching him leave.

"W-What? You're forgetting something-" she gestured to his complete attire.

The blonde briefly turned at the sound of her voice.

"What?" He asked, cocking his heaf to the side.

He was going to grab his suit.

Was he missing something?"

Marinette blinked, gesturing to all of him again.

As if on cue, their little baby giggle.

He pointed his tiny finger at his father.

"Kitty!" He exclaimed, before he clasped his hands together.

A small blush appeared on the cheeky heros face as he looked down at himself.

His mind was jumping up down and all around he didn't even realize he was still transformed.

"Oh...Right..." he nodded awkwardly.

"I'll grab my suit awhile..."

Perhaps there was one more nuissance on his mind tonight.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Marinette asked, holding their sons hand as he was strapped in his booster seat.

"I am a nervous wreck..." she admitted sheepishly.

Despite rushing her partner to finish dressing up, she tried to put off dropping Louis.

She figeted in the car, her grip slowly tightening around on her toddlers hand.

Adrien chewed on his thumb nonchalantly as he watched the scenery whisked by them in almosta blur.

He could sense his love moving about beside him and he placed his hand on her thigh.

"Relax. Its going to be fine. You act like my father's the volture instead of Lila. Louis is not prey, he's his grandson. I promise my father won't eat him." He murmured, leaning over to give her a cheek kiss.

Marinette sighed, feeling his lips on her cheek. She had to admit, she was quite intimidated by Gabriel Agreste. He had been nice to her up until the point where he learned that Louis was Adrien's son. As a matter of fact, Marinette wasn't even too sure if Gabriel knew that she had heard him.

Adrien had a little bit of an intimidated feeling from his father. Albeit it being a lot more stronger when he was a teen, he learned that the feeling subsided significantly.

He had Marinette by his side, andhe had Louis. After granting his father's approval to marry Marinette, Adrien felt a bit thrilled to know that his father was actually making an effort in his son's life.

It was a nice change, especially because Adrien barely saw or spend time with his dad since his mother dissapeared.

"Are you sure?" Marinette asked timidly. "I mean...he is kind of scary, and he never leaves his house and the last time I saw him he wasn't exactly happy that I was around, or that we have Louis."

She frowned, looking down at her little one as she recalled all the awful things Garbriel had said about her and her son. It was mostly the reason why she was so hesistant to leave their Lou alone with him.

Adrien placed his hand on her shoulder.

"It'll be fine." He assured, his eyes looking up to Louis who watched his parents with a smile.

"You see? Louis is inclined to it. You just have to trust us."

Marinette sighed, listening to them. Perhaps this was a normal thing for first time moms, and as far as she was concerned she was doing a kickass job at this mom thing.

'Good job' she told herself over and over again.

She was a great mom.

Adrien was a great dad.

She pressed her lips together as she continued to contemplate.

If Adrien trusted his fathers instincts, perhaps she should too.

She nodded subtly, leaning into her love.

"Maybe you're right..."

She really did hope he was right.

Marinette kept her arm linked around Adrien's. This was the first public appearance that the duo had made together and boy did it gather all of the unwanted attention.

Marinette was glad that it encouraged publicity for the charity that they were promoting, but Marinette knew sometimes the media took things too far.

They were really pushy and they pried just too much.

Adrien could feel how tense Marinette was, and he placed his hand on her back. He kept her close as the two walked inside, his eyes meeting with a lot of people he's seen over the years.

All the big designers were there, including Chloe and Audrey Bourgeois.

"Well...there's one familiar face..." Marinette muttered under her breath as her blue orbs scanned across Chloe and her mother. "Ah, the Mayor is here as well..." she grumbled.

Marinette held on to her clutch purse, feeling comfort knowing that at least her kwami was with her.

Adrien chuckled beside her. He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

"Don't worry...I took the liberty of inviting a few people of my own." He murmured as caterers who were hired to service guests led them to their table.

She paused, as Adrien pulled out her chair, allowing her to sit down. She graciously took the seat and kept her clutch purse close to her.

She was incredibly attached to her kwami tonight.

The venue Gabriel chose was immensely beautiful. Marinette couldn't believe her very eyes. They were serving all kinds of food, from hot dogs to crem brulee and caviar.

Faint paino music played amongst the conversations that were had of the guests that were invited.

Marinette watched as Adrien was immediately greeted by someone, possibly someone who knew his father. She didn't know. She sighed, running her thumb across her purse. She scanned the room, just taking in the scenery until something caught her eye.

In the distance she could spot a dark skinned beauty.

Wearing a nice white casual dress, and a sleek elegant bun, Alya walked in with her man by herself.

Marinette felt a wide smile spread across her face she nearly screamed.

Nino was in a tux?!

It just couldn't be!

Her friends looked drop dead gorgeous.

The blunette nearly stumbled out of her seat, hauling ass to the direction of one of her most favourite people.

"Alya!" Marinette squeaked, gathering the attention of the brunette.

"Marinette!" Alya replied, wrapping her arms around her friend. Marinette nearly bounced on her toes, pulling back to look at her friend.

"Wow...Alya...you look amazing!" She smiled, her eyes then flickering over to Nino who opened her arms and embraced her.

"Never thought I'd see you in a suit!" She giggled, rubbing her face into his chest.

Nino laughed, pulling back to glance at her with Alya.

"Wow...is that an actual dress from Gabriel Agreste?" Alya asked, running her fingers along the hem of her dress.

"Not surprising." Nino prompted. "You look great."

Alya nudged him with her elbow.

"Where's Adrien?" She asked, her eyes bouncing around from head to head.

"Nino wouldn't shut up about him since he sent us the invites."

Marinette blushed softly. She looked up at her friends and bit her lip.

So Adrien invited them?

She turned to look for him as well.

He was such a sweetheart.

"I saw him with someone other guy." The blunette pondered. "He's got to be around here somewhere. He's living merchandise- erm... the host..." She cut herself off, earning a strange glance from both of her friends.

Perhaps that was just an inside joke between her and Adrien.

She slightly nudged her way between Alya and Nino, her eyes now scanning the room for her kitty.

She blinked, her heart racing as she spotted another familiar face.

Luka stood in the far corner, his one hand in his pocket, his other hand gripping on to his phone.

His tux was casual, the buttons opened just his collar bone with a delicate vest to decorate the white buttoned up collar shirt he wore underneath.

Even when he wasn't trying he managed to look like a model

He was simply gorgeous.

Marinette cleared her throat, suddenly feeling guilty for oggling her old classmate while she scanned around for her future husband.

She immediately tried to divert the attention away from Luka, she needed to find Adrien.

Alya hummed, her lips pursing as she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"Isn't that Luka?" Alya asked, pointing her finger in his direction and then looking back at Marinette and Nino.

"Whose Luka?" Nino asked, looking down at Marinette who was now a sputtering red mess.

"He's no one-" Marinette intejected.

"He's Marinette's ex boyfriend-" Alya retorted with a cheeky grin, moving closer to Nino as if preparing to use him as a shield if Marinette detonated.

Nino perked a brow.

"You mean, you had eyes for someone other than Adrien?" Nino asked, curiousity lacing into his voice with a hint of teasing.

Marinette cupped her red cheeks, her lips trembling.

"No...Of course not!" She breathed. "I've always loved Adrien."she cleared her throat. She went from being happy seeing her friends to immediately regretting it. She was way too easy to tease and fluster.

"So what's he doing here?" Alya asked, peeking around Nino to look at Luka again. "You think we should go and talk to him?" She mused, looking over to Marinette as if she was encouraging her to move on over to him.

The blunette cleared her throat, looking back at Nino and Alya.

"I think he's here with Audrey..." she shifted her weight. "Erm...she assigned...Luka to be my model." She shrugged, looking down and fiddling with her earrings.

Alya blinked, a small gasp escaping her lips

"Girl- you're working with him?" She asked, leaning in closer.

Remembering what had happened before she couldn't help but to feel a little concerned.

"Adrien knows, right?" She asked.

The blunette grumbled. It was starting to become a notoriety. It was as if everyone was expecting her to mess up again, it was quite hurtful.

"Of course I told him..." she sighed. "It just feels a little awkward to have them in the same room." She reached up and rubbed the back of her neck. "I've never had an ex boyfriend and a current fiance bump into one another before. I don't know if Adrien is the jealous type."

Nino scoffed.

"Adrien? No way-"

Alya nudged him again briefly before she moved closer to Marinette, wrapping her arm aroune her best friend.

"It'll be fine. Luka is a respectful guy. If he knows you're engaged- which I'm sure everyone does know because its in every magazine across France- then he will respect boundaries. Adrien will appreciate that. There are no miscommunications this time around. A repeat like Nathan isn't likely to happen."

Marinette winced at the sound of his name.

"It won't happen again..." she turned to look back at them. "I was careless and naive the last time. I'm not like that anymore..." she looked down at her purse, feeling her kwami move inside as if to tell her she was listening. "I won't hurt people like that again."

Alya frowned sensing that it was still a sore spot for the blunette.

She rested her head on her friend's shoulder and squeezed her tightly.

"We know, Marinette..." she murmured. "You've definitely grown so much and you've made something of yourself." She pulled back to look at the flushed bluenette beside her.

"And I'm sorry if I made you feel like crap by bringing all of this up again." She smiled, giving the girl a reassuring squeeze.

Marinette cracked a smile, she really did miss her friend.

Alya made well on her promise. Her and Nino had planned to travel everywhere together and they did just that.

During those times, Alya and Marinette rarely got to see each other. Marinette had to admit. She missed her friends terribly.

"Thanks..." the blunette murmured, just simply enjoying the time she had left to spend with her friend before her and Nino took off traveling again.

Alya smiled at her friend, pulling her into another hug.

Both girls were startled by the loud thumping sound, and Nino groaning in pain.

Poor Nino didn't see it coming.

While he was distracted by the display of affection from two childhood friends reunited, he didn't expect to get a plummet hug from his own.

Adrien nearly threw his body into Nino's hugging him tightly from the side.

Alya pulled back to look at the boys, snorting at the look on Nino's face.

"Nino! Its so great to see you again!" The blonde rasped, pulling back to look at him.

"Yeah! Alya and I are taking a break from traveling. You know I'd never miss an opportunity to come see you!" Nino replied, giving Adrien a loving pat on the shoulder.

Adrien then turned, glancing at Alya. He immediately opened his arms out to her which she graciously accepted. He squeezed her tightly and carefully released her.

"Wow...you guys look great. I'm so glad you guys made it!" Adrien sighed with a cheeky grin. "For a second I thought you guys were gonna bail!"

Alya looked back at Nino before she sharpened her elbow and gave Adrien a nice one on his rib.

Adrien cowered slightly with a laugh, rubbing the elbowed area.

"No way we'd miss this! Nino wouldn't stop talking about the food since we got into the car!" Alya snorted.

"Speaking of food-" Nino interjected nicely.

"Where's the buffet. I'm starving."

Marinette immediately linked her arm on to Alya's. In case the group began to migrate somewhere else she wouldn't get lost.

Adrien released his side and placed his arm around Nino's shoulder.

"Come on. I'll show you where the plates are."

The groul began to migrate towards the buffet area. Her blue eyes scanned across the dishes as she held a plate in her hand.

She had made sure to keep Tikki in mind. She had looked for some foods that Tikki might liked, maybe she might even pick something off Alya's plate if she missed something.

Marinette had to admit it was a little strange that her friends knew of her alter ego as well as her best friend kwamis.

Of course she didn't want to reveal herself under those circumstances, but at the time finding her missing son was more important than anything.

The blunette chewed her bottom lip, not exactly sure what anything was.

All this food was so fancy, she couldn't recognize what some of it was supposed to be.

She was too scared of trying it, because if she didn't like it, then she'd be wasting it.

All the time she lectured Louis about wasting his food, Marinette couldn't stand the thought of being one of those as well, considering how expensive everything looked.

She sighed, shifting her weight as she picked around the buffet, refusing to allow herself to just poke random people and ask what everything was.

Nino already had his plate stacked with all kinds of food, and Marinette had the feeling that he didn't care what he ate, as long as he was eating.

Alya picked up a few fruits and some vegetables. A very light meal.

Marinette perked her brow, it seemed very suspicious to her.

Her blue eyes finally scanned across some baked goods and a few of her favorite pasta dishes.

Sighing with relief she began to stuff some macaroons into her clutch purse when she was sure that no one was in sight.

Definitely wouldn't look good if the big cats saw Adrien Agreste's future wife stuffing sweets into her bag like a weirdo.

Marinette wandered over to the drinks, a small blush coating her cheeks as she pondered if it was okay to take an alcoholic one.

Perhaps a glass of Armand de Brignac Rosé couldn't hurt.

She carefully swiped a glass and turned, nearly smashing into Adrien who stood behind her so suddenly.

She gasped, so startled she almost spilled her drink.

"Oh! Sorry" Adrien glanced at her sheepishly.

"Y-You...you can't keep sneaking up on me like that." Marinette hissed, her heart racing.

Adrien pouted.

"Sorry, guess its a force of habit." He placed his hand on to her waist, not even glaring at what she had chose to eat.

"I have to do a thing. My father invited some entrepreneur that's intersted in buying a share. I'll be back, okay? I'll make it quick. Don't have too much fun without me."

Marinette hummed with a subtle nod.

She knew this event was just business, but she did want to sit down and enjoy a meal with him.

She tried her best to let it roll, at least she had her other friends which now made sense as to why Adrien invited them.

He knew she was going to be alone if he didn't. She pressed her lips together and looked down.

"Yeah that's fine." She smiled. "Just hurry back okay?"

Adrien smiled.

He was so grateful to her.

"Yes. Of course." He leaned down to give her a kiss on the head. "Can I get a good luck kiss?" He asked, wiggling his brow. "You know...from the lucky ladybug?" His voice dipped lower into a hushed whisper.

Marinette chuckled, still feeling his lips on her forehead.

"You just got one." She teased, motioning her drink to her forehead.

"Good luck!" She smiled, turning to walk back to her table.

"No, no, no-" Adrien retorted, his hand slowly caressing her elbow and pulling her back towards him.

"A real kiss..."

Marinette hummed, her eyes catching his as they lingered on her lips. She smiled shyly, glancing away for a brief moment.

He really did want to kiss her.

The thought made her feel so giddy.

"Okay..." she shrugged, giving in with a bashful grin.

Before she could get the rest of her words out, his lips were on hers.

She immediately closed her eyes, her lips feathering smooth soft kisses to his before she pulled away all too soon for Adrien.

The blonde pouted, but he wasn't going to push it. He knew how his lady was when it came to PDA.

"Thanks..." he gave her one last nuzzle on the nose and left.

The female sighed, glancing down briefly at her purse as if the looks through objects to her kwami was enough to assure her.

She took a sip of her drink and wandered back to her table.

It was a little awkward that she had been the only one there for the time being, but it wasn't too degrading. It was nice to have a bit of time for herself.

She hoped Tikki was at least enjoying her sweets. Marinette began to pick at her food, nibbling on some of the pastas.

Her eyes wandered around briefly, her pulse quickening as she caught the site of her co-worker approaching the table.

It was a dead giveaway as to why he was invited, but Marinette didn't expect him to approach her so soon. She the knew the bump in was inevitable, she just didn't give herself enough time to mentally prepare herself for it.

After the last decent conversation she had with Luka, she was well aware of how much he cared for her. He made that part clear. To know that he only came back all this way for her was completely mind boggling.

It was certainly flattering, and though Luka was pretty adamant of his respect for her current relationship Marinette wouldn't deny him if he wanted to spend some time with her.

He was a good friend to her, and she wouldn't waste his time like that.

She wouldn't make that mistake again.

"Is this seat taken?" Luka smiled at the girl, his voice was calm and soft like it always had been.

Marinette couldn't help but to smile in return. She always felt so comfortable around him.

Marinette chuckled bashfully.

She essentially allowed herself to quickly count the seats at the table just to make sure that there were enough seats.

"No...you can sit." Marinette cleared her throat, adjusting herself in her seat.

Luka was more than happy to graciously accept the seat.

"So-" Marinette rasped, poking at her dinner with a fork. "You aren't hungry? The buffet line is clear"

Luka looked down at her plate and he shrugged.

"Its...a bit crowded right now." He murmured, turning briefly to look at the buffet. He turned back to look at her. "Oh...um...you look beautiful by the way..." he rubbed the back of his neck.

Marinette giggled, looking up to catch Alya and Nino returning to them with their plates.

"Thanks..." she replied, looking back at Luka.

Marinette nearly curled into herself as Alya approached the table, placing her plate on the table top.

"Luka." Alya exclaimed, placing her hand on his shoulder. "What a surprise!" Her eyes flickered to Marinette briefly. "It's great seeing you."

Luka grinned, reached up to grab her hand and shake it. "Its great seeing you again. I haven't seen you since we were teens."

Alya nodded, stepping back to introduce Nino who had already taken his seat and began to stuff his face.

"This is Nino..." she introduced, shooting the boy daggers, as he had sauce all over his face.

Luka laughed at Nino's appearance, but still accepted his hand for a proper greeting when it was offered to him.

"He's my boyfriend..." Alya finished, pulling her chair out and taking a seat. "Who should probably use his napkin by the way..."

"Oops- my bad" Nino hummed, grabbing the napkin and dabbing away at his face.

"Its been awhile since we were all together." Marinette interjected. It was kind of nice.

Luka nodded in agreement, turning his attention to Alya.

"So what have you guys been up to? It's been awhile, it'll be nice to catch up."

"Well-" Alya began as she began to pick at her food.

Marinette did the same, listening to her friend but at the same time looking around for her love. She had hoped that he was going to eat tonight.

She knew that some models were forced to diet, and sometimes it worried her.

Her blue eyes flickered to Luka as she couldn't help but to wonder if they were doing the same with him.

\- we just came back from italy..." Alya spoke, popping some food into her mouth. "We really want to go to America. We hear New York City is beautiful at night. Times Square and the rockafeller center seems like a nice hot spot to check out." She turned her head to look at Nino with a small smile.

"We plan to continue our travels..." Nino interjected, keeping eye contact with Alya before breaking it to look at Luka and Marinette. "We are on a time limit."

Luka furrowed his brow, as did Marinette.

"Time limit?" Marinette mused, placing her fork down and grabbing her drink for a swift sip.

"How so?" She asked, placing her glass down and retrieving her fork again.

Nino looked at Alya, his hand gently reached for hers much to her surprise. He then looked over at Marinette, a genuine smile spreading across his face with a gentle blush.

"Well we-"

"Erm- we want to be back in time for the wedding!" Alya exclaimed, immediately cutting Nino off with a deep blush. "We...erm...plan to spend many weeks in America, but we also want to be back in time for your wedding!" She breathed, a nervous smile on her face as her infamous elbow plowed straight into his ribs.

Nino cowered, immediately gripping on to his side with an apologetic glance.

Marinette pursed her lips.

She was only growing more suspicious.

"That's sweet of you both..." Marinette cleared her throat. "I-I mean, we haven't picked dates yet. But we are more than happy to work around your schedule. We are still in the planning stages."

Alya nodded, taking in deep breaths. Her blood was subsiding slightly as she shook her head.

"No no, its alright." She chuckled nervously. "We would like to work around you guys. I want to be there for the bridal shower, and the dress fiting. What kinda maid of honour would I be if I wasn't here helping you plan the biggest moment of your life!"

The blunette blushed even deeper, and for a moment the suspicion she had towards her friend all but washed away. She rubbed her cheeks and smiled.

"Awh...Alya..." she looked up at her.

If it weren't for Nino Alya holding her hand, Marinette would have reached out to grab her friend into an affectionate embrace.

Luka smiled at the pair, he remembered how close they were then. It warmed his heart to see that they remained that close.

He was envious. He hadn't the slightest idea why, but he wanted to retain a close relationship with Marinette as well. Since they parted ways, their relationship suffered.

He felt as if he lost his best friend, which he did. He fiddled with his hands.

Leaving was probably the biggest mistake he had ever made.

Losing Marinette wasn't like that.

If only she knew...

"I'm sure it'll be a beautiful ceremony to witness..." Luka smiled, almost sorry that he had interupted the tender interlude between Marinette and her best friend.

Marinette felt so giddy at the thought. It almost made her wish that this very night was her wedding night, save for Adrien being busy the night would have been perfect.

"Oh don't you worry." Marinette chided excitedly before she took another sip of her drink, shivering at the strong zing it had to offer.

She didn't expect champagne to be so strong.

But then again, she was a lightweight.

"When I get the invites and seating arrangements done, I'll be sure you get one too, Luka..." she assured, looking at her friend.

"I'd love to have you there."

Alya eyed the two, taking a sip of her own drink. She had gathered that there was some unfinished history between the two, but she wasn't going to pry this time.

Luka smiled back at her, feeling relieved that she would allow him to witness the event of a lifetime.

"I'd be honored..."

Marinette bit her lip, looking down at her plate again. She caught the glimpse of Alya's curious expression and Marinette didn't want to make a scene of it.

"So..." Alya chimed in, attempting to break the silence between the two.

"Marinette tells me you're one of her models. Do you guys work on some designs together? That sounds like fun!"

Luka nodded

"Yeah, it's been a lot of fun. Lately we've been working on casual designs, Marinette likes to keep me involved with the decisions regarding color and fabric types..."

Marinette listened to him explain Alya about their work ethics but only for a brief moment. While casually scanning the area just for the appreciation of the scenery Marinette was able to spot a familiar brunette.

The volture.

She had her back turned, but Marinette had seen her enough times to know it was her.

Marinette shifted in her seat, her throat growing dry as she leaned into a familiar blonde, her lips brushing against his cheek.

Usually, Marinette wouldn't have cared what Lila was up to. She couldn't care less as to why she was even here even though the reasons were obvious.

Marinette didn't give a flying pig who Lila was inclined to, but this time it grabbed her attention.

Her blue eyes narrowed as the blonde Lila was attached to the hip to was her future husband.

That was her Adrien...

Marinette pressed her lips together, almost feeling angry at the visual until she caught a glimpse of Adrien's distressed face.

She sighed, immediately feeling concern.

What was that brat up to?

"- yeah she's a personable designer, very intuative with her audience. Right Marinette?" Luka asked, his voice slowly easing back into her obstructed scenery.

Marinette blinked, looking at him.

"Hmm? Y-Yeah..." she quickly took one last sip of her drink and placed the empty glass on the table top.

"Excuse me..." She chuckled nervously, and stood up. She kept her clutch purse on her as she left the table, leaving her friends to pause with concern before they returned back to their conversation.

Marinette watched, shooting daggers as Lila walked away from her love. She gripped tighter on to her bag.

Adrien placed his hand into his pocket and causally strolled towards Marinette, his gaze fixated somewhere else.

"So is that the entrepreneur your father wanted you to put in a good word for?" Marinette whispered, catching him as he bumped into her.

She couldn't subside the slight poison in her voice during the confrontation.

She just couldn't help herself.

Adrien blinked, looking down at his Mini Marinette who looked as though she was about ready to explode.

"Uhh, no... she just came to talk to me. That's all..." he replied, placing his hand on her head.

Adrien frowned, she was adorable but he wasn't too sure if the subject or admittance of Lila's inappropriate behavior was necessarily a appropriate topic to discuss openly over dinner at a highly publicized event.

Marinette scoffed, grabbing his hand and removing it from her personal bubble.

"Talk to you? About what? To lie about how she's friends with the Prince? Or how she's fucked the Prince of wales, or how she went skiing with Chuck Norris!"

Adrien shook his head. He wrapped his arms around her and spun her around forcing her to face back to their table of friends.

"No...She came to discuss a few projects my dad's company is working on. It's just business talk, that's all..." his voice trailed off. He hated lying to her, but he couldn't worry her or bother her about it. He knew how Marinette was. She was a tiny blue flame, ready to confront anyone that threatened or made anyone she loved uncomfortable. He didn't want to stress her out about it.

The bluenette grumbled, snagging another drink from the tray of a waiter who walked by them.

"Mhm... I'll show her business talk..." she muttered before she gulped down her drink.

Adrien helped Marinette back to her seat, his green eyes briefly landing on Luka.

Despite the little mishap with Lila coming on to him, and Marinette almost ripping her to shreds, Adrien maintained a calm demeanor.

He was good at faking a smile.

"So how is everything. Is the food nice?" The blonde asked, laughing slightly as Nino gave a simple thumbs up with a full mouth.

Luka looked up at Adrien, a small smile tugging at his lips. He ended up with the girl of his dreams afterall, even if they both loved the same girl.

"It's great seeing you again, Adrien." He said, standing up to extend his hand.

Teetering on the edge of some form of trepidation Adrien reciprocated the gesture, reaching over to grab his hand in a firm shake.

"Nice to see you again." The blonde smiled weakly, before letting his hand drop to the side.

He looked down at his flustered bride to be as she drank and ate her food.

"Did you try out the buffet? Or are you waiting around?" Adrien asked the other model. "Because if you haven't grabbed anything yet, I'd be more than happy to accompany you."

Luka blinked, he even looked around to make sure that Adrien was actually talking to him.

"Oh...u-uhm..." he stuttered, completely taken off guard. "No. I probably shouldn't."

Marinette looked up from her plate her eyes slightly wide.

Knowing that face all too well, Adrien interjected, placing his hand on Luka's shoulder.

"Come on..." he encouraged, ushering the male to get up.

Nearly frightened by Marinette's glare he stood up.

"R-right..." he gulped, immediately turning and following Adrien to the buffet like a lost puppy.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets, Luka was a bit nervous to be alone with Adrien.

Adrien on the other hand was extremely calm, he kept a close but decent proximity between the two of them.

Adrien knew what it was like to be a new model. He understood the pressure to be a certain weight, he understood the high expectations as well as the conflictions it caused between family and friends.

"You're new at this model thing, aren't you?" The blonde asked, approaching the buffet.

Luka looked up at him. He knew Adrien was a pro. He knew all the ropes and loopholes. Anyone would have been intimidated, but Luka was a different case.

"Yeah. Still learning the ropes..." Luka admitted, his eyes looking down at the dishes they offered.

He had to admit that it smelled quite nice.

"If I could suggest anything. If you're meant to be Marinette's model, you'd better eat something. I know how the diets work." Adrien smiled, briefly looking back at Marinette who conversed with Alya and Nino. "You know how she is. Stubborn as a mule. She thinks the dieting thing is bullshit."

Luka laughed softly, looking back at Marinette as well with a tender blush.

"Yeah, she is pretty stubborn." He conceded, turning his gaze back to Adrien.

"So...does this mean you don't diet?" Luka asked, as he picked up a plate and began to wander around the buffet

The blonde simply shrugged in response, grabbing a plate of his own and followed suit.

"I'm supposed to, but it doesn't mean I do." He replied, picking up some pasta and dropping it on his plate.

Luka nodded, picking up a few boneless ribs and dropping them on to his plate.

"Is this because of Marinette?" He asked, raising a brow.

Adrien shook his head, his eyes glossing over the dessert cakes.

"Yes and no. I mean yes- because she would feed me at any chance she gets." He chuckled, Luka chuckling with him at the response.

"But its mostly because of my son..." Adrien admitted. "He looks up to me, I don't want him to think its okay to starve himself because people think it looks good."

Luka paused, his brow furrowing.

"Your son? Wait...you have a kid?" He asked, his breath caught as he tried his best to appear calm. He didn't want to appear as though he was caught off guard, and he certainly was.

Adrien grabbed a drink, and he turned to the other, offering it to him.

"Yeah. Me and Marinette have a baby boy together. Best joy of our lives." He replied, a genuine smile on his face at the thought of their baby.

Luka widened his eyes. His heart nearly shattering and falling out from his mouth.

"Oh. I'm sure you guys have a lovely family." He replied, his voice shaking.

Perhaps Marinette forgot to mention their baby.

He wasn't spiteful about their child, it was just a surprise. It made the whole situation feel more real to him.

Adrien nodded.

"I may be a little biased." He joked, turning the other way to head back to their table with a full plate. "But I am grateful. Grateful for everything Marinette has given me the last few years. She changed my life..." his green eyes landed on the blunette as they both approached the table.

Luka allowed his eyes to fall in the same direction, watching the dorky female poke inside of her clutch purse.

"That makes two of us..." Luka murmured under his breath, too low for Adrien to catch it.

The boys took their seats, Adrien immediately grabbing a napkin and blotting Marinette's cheeks as she had some sugar coated on to her skin.

Alya picked at her salad, her eyes occasionally dodging the suspicious glances her best friend shot at her every now and again.

"So...Luka, how are you liking working in the fashion industry?" Adrien asked, picking at his food and popping a few pieces in his mouth.

Luka was caught midbite. He nodded placing his fork down and wiping his mouth.

"Its been great so far. I mean, I am a newbie but I was lucky enough to get Marinette as my first partner. She's very personable." He replied, grabbing his drink and sipping it.

Marinette was already working on her fourth glass of champagne. A small rosy blush dusted across her cheeks in a nice contrast to her freckles. She cupped her cheek, smiling up at Luka before she walked her fingers over to Adrien with a small hum.

Adrien immediately reciprocated, his fingers slowly wound themselves into hers with a loving embrace.

"I bet Marinette digs it too-" Alya chimed in. "Working for Audrey and marrying into the Agreste family. She could have any item of name brand clothing she could ever want. I can't imagine the wedding dress"

Marinette widened her eyes and gasped dramatically, the inebriated approach of her becoming all too obvious.

"That's not all I'm in this for!" The blunette stuck her tongue out at her friend. "You can say its a perk, but I love doing what I do, and I am marrying someone whose worth so much more than what his father makes-" she moved her chair slightly, leaning closer to Adrien who looked down at her and eyed her carefully.

"Sweetheart, how much did you drink?" He asked, pressing a small kiss to her head.

Nino grinned at the blunette who seemed to submerge in a fit of giggles at the question of her fiance.

"Worth more than anything Gabriel makes? I'm pretty sure Gabriel made Adrien too-" Nino teased, looking at Alya.

Marinette immediately shot her eyes open.

If she were going to be the volture tonight, so be it.

Adrien laughed, running his thumbs across her knuckles.

"Well- She did say she loves doing what she does- I guess that means Adrien is included-" Alya chimed in, glancing up at the blunette whose face was redder than a basket of tomatoes.

Before Marinette could open her mouth Luka spat out his drink, grabbing a napkin and covering his face.

As Marinette looked closer at him, she realized that he was laughing.

He was teasing her?!

Adrien blushed deeply beside Marinette as their friends teased them, but managed to crack a smile on his face.

After knowing them for so long he knew how they were and how they teased. It was something he always took lightly.

Marinette glared at her friends and chuckled.

"You guys are jerrrrrkkks!" She elongated, grabbed one of her half eaten macaroons and tossing it at Nino seeing as he was the one to start it.

Nino cowered with a laugh, flinching as the dessert smacked him on the chest before it landed on his lap.

"Hey! We aren't throwing food in a malicious manner" Adrien interjected, knowing all too well that Nino was going to retaliate with food of his own.

After little thought, Nino placed the macaroon in a napkin beside his plate.

Perhaps he'd carry on this food war another day.

Luka finally calmed down, a smile tugging at the edges of his lips.

He felt at ease. He got to know Adrien a little better, he reunited with Alya and met Nino formally. Sure, he was still a little surprised that Marinette had a child with Adrien. He wasn't aware of her pregnancy when they were teens and still in their last year of high school.

He figured she must have hid it. It was expected, someone in her position must have been terrified to have a baby at such a young age. Especially with someone with such a high status at Adrien Agreste.

Luka was sure that after some time he would gradually accept it.

And who knows, maybe he'd actually get to meet the little one as well.

Marinette narrowed her eyes briefly, not knowing if Nino was going to retaliate. When it seemed safe, she let her guard down and relaxed into Adrien once more.

Her eyelids felt heavy, and Marinette was tempted to fall asleep right there on the spot.

Her sober mind nagged at her to act more professional. She was at a public event.

Her inebriated mind cheered her on, told her to fuck it. She was with her friends. She was with a group of people she hadn't seen in such a long time.

She allowed her lids to close for a brief moment. She sighed, sitting up and forcing her eyes open.

Marinette spotted Lila from across the room, chatting with Chloe.

She chuckled.

From the look on Chloe's face, Marinette had the feeling Chloe wasn't too fond of Lila either.

Something they both shared in common.

"Wow. I didn't expect most of our senior class to be here." Alya hummed, craning her head around to spot Sabrina, Chloe and Lila.

Nino shrugged.

"I mean...aside from us, there's only Sabrina, Chloe and Lila..."

Adrien nodded.

"Yeah, basically most of the class" he chuckled, his arms wounding tight around Marinette.

Luka pursed his lips and agreed.

"Yeah, my sister's class wasn't that large as far as I remember."

Alya nodded, grabbing her glass of water and drinking it quickly.

Marinette hiccuped, a goofy grin on her face, earning a teasing giggle from her friend Nino on the other side of the table.

"Damn, I wish I was as lit as she is" he snorted, jutting his chin toward the bluenette. "Where can I get a glass?" He asked, looking around to find a waitor or waitress with the drinks.

Alya hummed, glancing over at him as he snagged a glass of champagne from a waitress passing by. "Don't drink too much, unless you trust me driving your new car-"

Nino turned his head, glaring Alya in the eye as he gulped down his drink. He dug into his pockets and slid his car keys across the table top towards her direction.

"Have at it-" he grinned, taking another swig of his drink.

Alya gaped in disbelief, a soft smile spreading across her lips as she turned to look at Luka.

"Can you believe this kid?" She asked, shaking her head.

Luka chuckled and then reached for a drink off the same tray before the waitress can leave.

"He seems like fun." He replied, pressing the drink to his lips and taking a swig.

Alya blankly stared at the two boys then turned her attention to Adrien.

"It appears Marinette started a drink train. Are you in too?" She asked, shifting her gaze to Adrien who continued to hold on to his drunk bride to be.

"No way." He sighed, brushing his fingertips through Marinette's hair.

"My dad would kill me."

Alya hummed.

"Bummer..." she grabbed her glass of water and took small sips.

"That makes two of us that won't be drinking tonight." She placed her glass down. "When I get a confirmation I'll let you guys know why."

Adrien perked a brow, he was curious. He pulled back just as Marinette slowly pulled away.

"Vulture!" She exclaimed, pointing over to Lila from across the room.

The entire table widened their eyes, turning their head in the direction in which she was pointing.

Adrien nearly choked on his spit. He patted her hand down, his eyes looking into hers.

"Marinette- don't point!" He hissed in a panic whisper. He was more than glad that Lila had her back turned. If she had heard Marinette scream that from across the room, she definitely would have had his balls the next time they worked together.

"Is she talking about Lila?" Luka asked, furrowing his brow and looking at the couple.

"Is she that bad of a nuisance?" Alya asked, looking at Nino.

"Well she was a brat in final year. She was kind of like a weird variation of Chloe but somehow worse..." Nino replied.

Alya nodded in understanding.

"You guys call her a vulture?" Luka asked Adrien who shook his head.

"Uh. Yeah...it's an inside joke between me and Marinette-" he looked down at Marinette with somewhat of a glare.

"Ooooh." Marinette slurred. "Sorry..." she reached up and began to poke her fingertip at his nose and under his lip.

"Sorry-" she whispered again, but it wasn't really a whisper.

"I think it should be an inside joke between all of us once you explain why it came about later." Alya stated, taking a final sip of her drink.

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'll be sure to put that on the memo."

The night carried on forever, and Marinette spent most of her time struggling to stay awake, or struggling to find her feet.

Most of the night Adrien kept his arm around her waist to keep her steady. He inwardly scolded himself for not watching her in how many drinks she had.

He realized that he had been busy and spent most of the beginning of the night doing work things.

It didn't seem fair. Adrien shrugged slightly as Plagg climbed up the back of his shirt.

"Adrien, before you go... do you think you can grab me as assortment of cheese from the buffet? You've been starving me all night~" he groaned, dramatically throwing himself into his collar.

Adrien rolled his eyes, shifting his weight. He awkwardly wandered back to the buffet, keeping his gaze on the clock at the night was drawing to a conclusion.

The venue was nearly empty as guests began to file their way out.

Adrien packed an assortment of cheese into a napkin he had picked and placed it into his pocket.

Plagg peaked his head out from his collar, his green eyes glancing over the assortment of cheese on the buffet.

He gasped, his tiny kwami heart shattering into a million pieces as the caterers began to clean up.

They cleaned off the tables, swept the floors and much to Plagg's dismay, they were closing up the buffet and throwing away the left over foods.

Plagg poked one of his pointy ears against Adrien's neck.

"Psst. My mouth is up here-" he whined, pointing to his open mouth.

Adrien looked around casually, not wanting to draw attention to himself by talking to his kwami.

"You'll get it later. I can't have people seeing me stuff cheese into my shirt."

Plagg groaned, plopping on to the crevice of Adrien's neck. This was going to be a long night. Adrien watched Alya hold Marinette up who was struggling to walk. He left that up to her to carry her out of the building.

The blonde shook his head at his loves current state of mind. He then turned, pausing as he witnessed Nino stashing a ton of food in Styrofoam take out cartons.

Finally catching his gaze, Nino causally shrugged it off.

"What? They'll just throw it all out anyway. Its a pain to see most of it go to waste." He placed the last bit of food and closed the carton.

Adrien gasped as someone lightly bumped into him from behind. The model turned, watching Luka struggle to walk into a straight line.

Adrien and Alya were both sure it was safe to say that half of their crew had a bit much to drink.

"Please tell me you have a ride..." Adrien begged, looking up at Luka who was able to pull himself together decently for the most part.

Luka nodded.

"Yeah, don't worry!" He rasped, leaning over towards Nino and placing his arm around his shoulders.

"I called my sister, I think she's outside." He assured.

Adrien nodded, watching the two strike up a conversation about their favourite music and a possible future collaboration.

Adrien was satisfied with how the night went, his friends were able to make it to the event and Marinette was more than happy to be with a group of people she spent most of her childhood with.

Adrien grabbed his jacket, and followed suit towards the rest of his crew.

The Parisian air was warm. It had been better than what it was the last few nights.

It was the perfect night. The air smelled heavenly, and Adrien silently prayed that his wedding night would be the same.

The sky was dark, and the Effiel Tower lightened the city from only a few blocks away.

The scenery was bittersweet as the night felt the very same when he shared his first date with Marinette. It was the night he revealed himself, and he and Marinette established a family together and decided to keep Louis. That night his life changed for the better.

"I love you!" Marinette slurred, placing awkward kisses around Alya's face. "I love you so so much"

Adrien chuckled, his ladys drunken voice pulling him straight out of his nostalgic interlude.

"I love you too, girl." Alya replied, her voice a bit shaky as she kept her arm tightly around the girl. Alya was terrified her friend would either puke or fall over at any moment.

"Hey-" Adrien interjected, approaching the two girls in a causal stride.

"Are you trying to steal my girl away from me, Alya?" He teased, perking his brow and snaking his arm around Marinette's waist, pulling her closer.

Alya looked up at the blonde with a small smile.

"You bet your sweet ass I am." She replied, poking him in the chest. "You better step up your game or she's mine!"

The blonde snorted, rubbing the area she poked with his free hand.

"You're a good guy-" Nino slurred, butting heads with Luka in a bromance motion.

Luka shook his head.

"Dude... You're a good guy-" he retorted back.

Alya turned to look at them.

"Nino! Lets go! My feet are swelling in these heels!" She exclaimed.

Juleka parked on the other side of the street and quickly crossed, grabbing her brother and ushering them apart from one another before they ended up smooching.

"Okay buddy-" Juleka rasped, pulling her brother in the opposite direction.

Nino reached out to Luka briefly, almost dropping his food before Alya grabbed his arm and ushered him to the car.

Adrien waited patiently as his bodyguard arrived with the car. He helped his drunken beauty inside safely before they drove off.

Lila, stood in the corner, twirling her dark hair as she watched the crew separate and drive off.

She turned around, walking away as she scrolled through some photos saved on to her phone.

"Shit!" Marinette rasped as she nearly stumbled over into their house.

"Shhh!" Adrien hushed quickly, looking down at his sleeping toddler who clung on to him.

Marinette looked back with a sheepish shrug.

"I'm sorry! I twisted my ankle..." she replied in a hasty whisper as she leaned on the wall to slip off her strapped heels.

Adrien placed his hand on her back on case she fell backwards.

She was a mess.

"Alright, but if you wake him up you're gonna get him back to sleep." Adrien teased, carefully brushing by his love and turning the corner to place his son into bed.

"I don't see what the big deal is..." Marinette yawned, looking down at her kwami that began to float eye level with her.

"All I have to do is give Lou his apple sauce and he falls asleep almost instantly."

Tikki lookes at Marinette with a small smile, even when her chosen needed to vent Tikki was all ears.

"That's right!" Tikki chirped, nuzzling into Marinette's cheek. "You do know him best!"

Tikki floated back to look at the blunette who was close to passing out.

She watched with a grimace, remaining close by. She wasn't sure if she should alarm Adrien to come back, and there wasn't much she could do if her chosen passed out. Tikki was growing a little concerned. She didn't have super kwami strength to catch her and prevent her from breaking a bone.

Any harm done to Marinette obviously had an impact on what Ladybug did as well.

Adrien needed his fiance in one piece, Louis needed his mother in one piece, Tikki needed her chosen in one piece and Paris needed their heroine in one piece.

Which is why it concerned the little kwami as Marinette began to lean forward, her face pressing into the kwami that struggled to hold her up by the cheek.

"U-Uh, Adrien!" Tikki called out, her small kwami arms clasping on to Marinette's freckled cheek.

As if she had called upon the kwami gods, Adrien was there in a heart beat.

He caught Marinette in his arms before she could fall face first.

She opened her eyes, and she held on to him.

"Wow..." she hummed. "The ground was going really fasttt-" a deep blush coated her face as she began to trip over her own feet.

Plagg poked his head out from Adrien's collar and then floated behind Marinette's head.

"Jeez, as if she wasn't already clumsy enough."

Adrien leaned down, lifting Marinette in his arms bridal style and began to carry her into the bedroom.

"Okay, I admit. We didn't make a responsible choice..." Adrien sighed, briefly looking back at both kwamis as they followed him. "But- in our defense, it was a nice reunion and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out..."

He placed Marinette on the bed and began to undress her.

Plagg cleared his throat, his green eyes fixated on his pocket.

"I believe I was promised something to eat when the night was over..." he mused, gazing up at Adrien briefly.

"You know...something of the cheese variety?" His tiny kwami arm began to poke at Adrien's pocket.

Adrien ignored him, placing the blanket around Marinette who was too ondurate to succumb into her exhaustion.

Tikki floated beside Plagg, shaking her head.

"I think his stomach is where his brain is supposed to be..."

"No, no no. You can't go" Marinette gasped, grabbing on to Adrien as he began to pull away.

"She's hammered..." Adrien muttered, looking at their kwamis. "She's going to be so sick tomorrow."

"That's fine!" Plagg chimed in, helping himself into Adrien's pocket and unfolding the napkin. "She can stay home and sleep, and she can make me food!" He gargled, stuffing most of the cheese into his mouth.

"At least then I'll be provided with my nutrients!" He popped his head out of Adrien's pocket. "Because Adrien wants me to starve."

"Don't be a drama cat-" Adrien teased, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the rest of the smelly cheese and placing it on the desk beside the bed.

"I doubt any of your chosen ones ever spoiled you as much as I do. I go out of my way to feed you this stinky stuff, even if it means smelling smelling like feet all day."

Plagg didn't seem to care much for the conversation.

His ears were blocked as he could only focus on one thing, and that was eating as much as he could.

Tikki watched the other kwami and shook her head.

"Some things never change..."

Adrien kissed Marinette's hand.

"I'm going to change, I'll be back..."

Marinette looked at him and nodded.

Adrien grabbed his pyjamas and helped himself to the bathroom. He grabbed a quick shower and dressed.

On the way back to his bed he checked up on Louis one last time, smiling as both kwamis helped themselves on to his bed for the night. He was glad he had the extra protection. Especially with the trauma still sitting in the back of his head from the last incident of Louis being kidnapped, he needed that assurance.

Even though Plagg was a pig, he trusted his little kwami. He wasn't exactly a voice of reason, but Plagg was always reliable when it came to loyalty and protection.

Adrien poked his head inside of his bedroom, feeling warm at the sight of his Princess already asleep.

He contemplated getting a bucket, in case she felt like she had the need to vomit again.

He didn't want to take the risk of her vomiting on him again like she did back when they attended school.

He climbed into bed, pulling the blankets over their bodies and settling in.

A feeling of dread sat in his stomach like a heavy stone. He dreaded the thought of having to go back to working with Lila

Adrien was always calm and never wanted to make a scene, but at the same time he knew that if he didn't tell anyone it would get out of hand.

Hell, it happened with Marinette, except Nathan wasn't as bad as Lila.

In fact, Lila was a million times worse, simply because she was well aware that Adrien was already in a serious relationship.

The blonde turned his head to look at his sleeping beauty.

He felt terrible, he didn't like keeping things from her.

A voice inside his head nagged at him over and over to just tell her. She deserved to know, perhaps she could help.

Tell her...

Tell her...

Tell her...

"Adrien?" Marinette asked softly, her voice like velvet as she spoke.

If it hadn't been for the perfect timing, Adrien would have believed that she could read his mind, but the sound of her voice somehow made him feel at ease.

"Mm?" Adrien responded, shifting his weight and adjusting the pillows under his head.

"Do you like Luka?" The blunette asked, yawning slightly as she turned over on her other side to face him.

The blonde furrowed his brow.

Drunk Marinette thinks about Luka?

He chewed on his lip as it was such an off question it almost made him jealous.

Almost.

"Yeah, of course I like Luka." He replied, pressing his fingertip against her button nose. "Why? Were you worried I wouldn't?"

Marinette slowly opened her eyes and she hummed.

"No... I was worried that if you didn't like him you wouldn't trust me to be around him." She admitted sleepily.

Adrien frowned, her words feeling like a knife to his heart.

It was obvious they've had their ups and downs, especially with Nathan.

It was a rocky part of their relationship but he never not trusted her.

Dissapointed?

Sure.

But certainly not that.

Adrien moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.

"I trust you, Marinette. Don't say that sweetheart." He murmured in assurance, kissing her head over and over again.

Marinette hummed briefly, a sleepy smile on her lips as she finally began to succumb into her exhaustion.

"Good..."

Adrien chuckled at her response, his hand moving up and down her back until she grew limp.

She was so warm and welcoming, and for a moment the thought of her vomiting on him didn't seem so bad if it meant he could hold her just like this.

A/N: Sorry it took so long.

Had a lot of issues, and I had to rewrite this a million times because the software kept wiping it out. Please enjoy!

Again thank you so much for reading. You guys have no idea how much this means to me.


	9. Chapter 8

Marinette frowned as Alya slapped the magazine cover in front of her.

It was almost as if she were experiencing deja vu.

She inwardly shivered as this appeared to be a common occurrence with Alya lately

She pressed her lips together as she looked down at the magazine, her fingers slipping underneath it so she could pick it up and get a better look.

"Do you snoop around on every magazine in Paris and Italy so you can drop it in front of me?" Marinette asked, teasing slightly.

She sighed at the front cover, her heart dropping.

Plastered all over the front covers was a photo of her and Alya, taken in the wrong angle.

The photo appeared as though it was taken from behind Marinette, and Alya was barely to be seen in the front of her.

Some of it had to be photoshopped but it appeared as though Marinette and Alya had shared a passionate drunken kiss, and it was plastered on every front cover in Paris. Marinette couldn't bear to read the captions that depicted her as some sort of sleazy party animal who had no self control.

"I suppose I have a keen eye for controversy..." Alya sighed, crossing her arms. "I wonder who sent in that photo..." the brunette rubbed her temples and sat down in front of her.

"Well...whoever took this didn't have a good quality camera...my hair almost looks purple, this could have been anyone." Marinette responded in more of an attempt to calm herself down.

Alya shook her head and pushed her glasses up her nose.

"No...this is clearly you, and this photo was taken out context." Her eyes flickered up to the bluenette who nearly puked.

"This was meant to be derogatory and to stir up controversy and gossip regarding the legitimacy of your engagement to Adrien."

Marinette sighed and she shoved the magazine to the middle of the table

"I don't understand why my relationship with my husband should be a public spectacle!" She exclaimed, her blue eyes nearly watering.

Alya frowned, immediately noticing how visibly upset Marinette had become.

Marinette was not used to this sort of vendetta and invasion of privacy. She knew it came with life in the lime light, especially since Adrien was a huge deal in Paris, and her current occupation only added more publicity to her name.

Publicity she didn't want.

Marinette never second guessed marrying Adrien. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, and she had a child with him. She didn't really think about the mishaps and major spotlight that came around it.

Alya scooted beside her friend, wrapping her arms around her and pulling her close.

"It's going to be okay..." Alya murmured, rubbing Marinette's arm softly.

The bluenette leaned into her friend, sniffling slightly.

"Don't get too close...someone else might snap a photo of us..." the blunette muttered, only half joking.

Alya shrugged, only wanting to comfort her friend.

"I don't care...we already know the photo is just an unfair lie..."

Marinette pouted, her cheeks growing pink as she let the words sink in.

They were lies...

"Lies..." Marinette mused, slowly pulling away with a furrowed brow.

"You don't think Lila could have sent the photo in...do you?" She perked a brow, looking up at Alya.

Alya blinked, her brow furrowing as well.

"Does Lila have a vendetta against you?" Alya asked, watching as her friend picked up the magazine again.

"Yeah... she's upset that Adrien proposed to me. She's always had this unhealthy obsession with him..." Her frown only deepened.

"What a witch..."Alya deadpanned her eyes glancing down at the magazine as she had remembered seeing Lila that night.

Marinette bit her lip.

"More likea volture...with claw fingers. This is definitely something she'd do..."

Alya glanced back at Marinette briefly, a curious expression on her face.

"A volture?"

Marinette looked up at her friend and shook her head.

"Nothing, it's an insider between me and Adrien..." She waved her hand dismissively.

Alya nodded awkwardly.

"Right..."

Marinette sighed as she sat at her desk. She couldn't even focus on her designs.

She knew it was a silly thing to be anxious over, but Marinette already knew that Gabriel could be mean.

She was going to carry the Agreste last name.

And that last name was huge.

It meant everything to them. The last thing she wanted to do was drag it through the dirt.

Her heart raced as she was a little worried about how Adrien would react to it.

He was there!

Surely he didn't believe that Marinette had some crazy fling with Alya.

Nino was in the same photo!

She rubbed her temples, attempting to calm herself down

Adrien wouldn't be mad.

Would he? Marinette felt her heart race, and she gulped slightly.

Marinette pushed some of her papers aside

She couldn't even look at them. She had a fashion show in a few days, and she was definitely over thinking.

The blunette gasped as she heard a knock on her office door. She nearly dropped her papers.

"C-come in." She rasped clearing her throat and cleaning off her work desk.

"I hope I'm not coming in at a bad time." A soft voice emanated from behind the door as it opened.

Marinette felt her heart flutter. She knew that voice from anywhere.

She had never felt so much bliss, but dread at the same time.

"Adrien?" She asked, standing up from her seat.

Her eyes connected with a glistening pair of green eyes.

"Hey-" Adrien greeted, holding a bag of sweets for his sweetheart. The blunette clambered out from behind her desk and she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug.

Adrien wrapped his arms around her, his face burying into her neck as he lifted her up briefly before he placed her back down.

"It's so great to see you..." the girl murmured, pulling away to give him a gentle kiss on his lips.

Adrien nodded, being a little stubborn upon parting. He kept his lips pressed on hers, kissing her lips over and over again.

Marinette giggled, returning each peck he had to offer her.

His lips felt so warm and soft against hers, it was too addicting.

"Mmm..." Adrien hummed as he pulled away. "I brought you some chocolates. I know its not an ideal snack in case you had a hangover after last night."

Marinette felt her stomach drop at the thought of last night. She debated whether or not to pitch the idea to Adrien that it might have been Lila, but she worried she wouldn't get past the first sentence without throwing up.

She knew he saw it. Who hasn't?

A shiver went down her spine as she began to worry if Audrey had seen it.

Could this cost her the job she's always dreamed of? The thought of it made her sick to her stomach

"Is that why you're here?" Marinette asked, pulling back to look at him with a grimace.

Adrien poked her nose.

"T-that's...not why I came here. At least not the sole reason." He kissed her cheek softly.

The blunette whimpered and she pulled away, wandering back ovet to her desk.

"I know you've seen it." She frowned, digging her palms into her eyes with a grimace.

Adrien placed the bag of chocolates on the loveseat against the wall before he approached her with open arms.

"I've seen it." He conceded, his arms squeezing around her.

Marinette caved into him, she groaned in misery.

"It wasn't fair. I know..." Adrien murmured. "The photo was mis-angled and taken out of context. The media does that a lot."

Marinette turned her head to the side and she looked out the window.

"A lot of unwanted publicity that comes with the engagement of Paris' well known fashion designers' son...the coveted model..." her voice trailed off.

Adrien pulled back, his bottom lip quivering slightly.

Marinette couldn't tell if he was playing or being serious.

"You don't regret agreeing to marrying me, do you?" He asked.

The blunette cupped his face as her heart sank. "No! I don't regret it..." She snorted and hid her face against his neck again. "I'm awful with words..."

Adrien chuckled, knowing all too well how much she stumbled on her words and could never say what she meant. He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

"I know, sweetheart." He assured, his hand rubbing up and down her back.

Marinette relaxed, allowing her to calm down in his arms as he held her.

He really was a sweet man. He came to her when she needed him, and when she was anxious, he always found some way to calm her down. She smiled, pulling back to press a gentle kiss on his lips. Her arms gently wrapped around him and pulled him close.

Adrien quickly reciprocated, his lips slowly melted into hers and a low groan escaped from the base of his throat.

"That's more like it~" he teased in a soft mutter against her lips.

The blunette giggled, slowly pulling away, but keeping their lips close.

"You're such a tease..." She ran her fingers through his hair. "Now..." She pulled back far enough to look at the bag of sweets he had left on the loveseat.

"What sweets did you bring me?" She asked, leaving his side to grab the little bag and poke around through it.

"I brought some truffles and Hershey kisses. You know, when I'm not here you'll have all the sweet kisses your heart desires." He approached her from behind and wrapped his arms around her.

Marinette giggled, unwrapping a truffle and taking a bit out of it. He was such a corny sap.

She turned around slightly, offering him the other end to which he gladly allowed him to feed her.

Marinette threw the wrap away, her body feeling warm as she submerged herself into his warmth.

Her brow furrowed as she did some thinking. She really did want to let this go, and continue on with her life but she couldn't.

"What does Lila have against me?" She looked back at Adrien. "We aren't children anymore. We are grown adults, with jobs, some of us have children, we have our own relationships." She huffed, her brow furrowing. "It's not my fault that she was a liar, and that drove all her friends away..."

Marinette was well aware that she was just venting at this point.

Adrien nodded behind her, his cheek pressed against hers as he listened.

"And its not like I'm fucking her boyfriend, or killed her first born. She needs to get a life and leave mine alone. I'm not doing anything wrong to her. If she wanted you, then that's tough on her." She sighed.

Adrien hugged her tightly to his body.

"You aren't fucking her boyfriend, but you're having a little fun with your fiance." Adrien teased, lifting her up briefly.

Marinette smiled weakly, her blue eyes wandering around her room before it landed on the unfinished projects on her desk.

A small frown tugged at her lips. She wanted nothing more than to be rested in his arms for as long as possible, but she did need to get some work done. She had a show tomorrow and she needed to plan her last minute touch ups and drafts

"I really should get back to work..." She breathed out softly, much to Adrien's dismay.

The blonde groaned, his grip not loosening from around her.

"I don't mean to be a bad influence and distract you but..." Adrien objected. "I think you should stay with me a bit longer..."

Marinette shivered at the feeling of his lips on her skin, but she remained adamant.

"Kitty..." She giggled. "You're just as stubborn as your alter ego." She gave him a quick kiss and pried herself away from him.

She sat at her desk, looking over her work. She felt a little bad for leavinf him behind, but as expected he followed her to her desk like a stray kitten.

"Marinette..." he whined, kneeling down and nuzzling into her lap. He rested his chin on her lap, looking up at her with pouty green eyes.

Marinette giggled and shook her head. "You are a whiny kitty." She teased, lightly running her fingers through his hair.

It wasn't long before they heard the click clocking of someone's heels approaching her door.

Before any of them could react, the very own Audrey Bourgeois barged into Marinette's office without a single knock.

The charge was so startling, Adrien attempted to sit up, but instead banged his head on the underside of the desk.

Marinette gulped as her thoughts raced in an instant. She was sure that Audrey had seen the front cover. Marinette was worried that Audrey had come to end her career. With the possible imprint that Marinette was an out of control party animal, she couldn't allow her to see Adrien emerge from under her desk.

It was too compromising of a position.

Immediately Marinette shoved the blonde completely under her desk and scooted her chair in. She gulped with a deep blush and folded her hands atop her desk as if she only banged her knee and not her husband's head.

Adrien curled underneath the desk, looking up at Marinette with a look of discontent and unamusment.

Marinette shrugged it off, she'd apologize later for it.

Audrey looked down at Marinette who was a nervous wreck.

Marinette's heart raced in her chest, bracing for her termination, and to face the embarassment of her husband witnessing the most demeaning moment of her life.

"I have another project for you." Audrey spoke, her intimidating glare burning holes through her skin.

Marinette widened her eyes, her hand slowly unfolding.

"A-A new project?" She stuttered in surprise.

So she wasn't getting fired?

Audrey nodded. "I'm adding a new model on to the show tomorrow evening. She just needs an outfit..."

Marinette scrambled on her desk, reaching for her notes and her sketch book, ready to write down what she needed.

"I hired you because I know you work well under pressure, and you already know my child, Chloe..."

Marinette hummed briefly, and began to sketch something immediately that she knew would fit Chloe. If she were honest, she'd prefer to just work with Luka. But if she had to she'd work with Chloe. She knew Chloe was still a brat, but something inside of her made her proud that her old class bully would be wearing clothes designed by her.

Adrien grinned under the desk, moving closer to her legs. The blonde playfully bit at the soft skin on her thighs, his fingertips moving up the back of her calves.

Marinette bit her lip, gripping on to her sketch pencil. She slowly pulled her leg away from him and kicked him, nudging him away from her legs.

Adrien gasped slightly, and then he moved away briefly.

Marinette took in a deep breath, trying to listen to Audrey's ideas and what she wanted to see her daughter in.

Gold.

Lots and lots of glitter and gold.

It wasn't long before Adrien began to play around again. His teeth lightly nipped at her legs, his hands running up her skin with a light touch of his fingertips. The sensation sent a tingle up her legs. It was almost uncomfortable and itchy.

She was ticklish by her ankles, and he made sure to get those spots as well.

Marinette kept interchanging her legs. She gripped on to her pencil with frustration, as she kicked him again.

He just wouldn't let up.

At this point Marinette had stopped listening to Audrey and began to move awkwardly at her desk, unbeknownst she was fighting with her husband underneath the desk.

Marinette hadn't notice that Audrey had stopped talking and that she was not glaring down at the blunette who seemed to have caused quite a distraction at her awkward and obnoxious moving.

"Is...there an issue?" Audrey asked, immediately pulling Marinette out of her focus on the escapades underneath her desk.

Marinette snapped her gaze up and blinked, Adrien froze underneath the desk and by God, she wanted to kick him again.

Her bag dropped to the floor and Tikki whimpered as she rolled inside of it with a loud thump.

"What? No!" Marinette blurted out. "I just have to pee really bad." She gulped nervously with a nervous chuckle.

Audrey simply looked down at her, not even responding to her excuse.

Marinette cleared her throat.

Perhaps that was a bit inappropriate.

"I...uh...I don't know why I said that..." Marinette gulped, inwardly screaming at herself. "I...don't even want people to know pee comes out of me..." She paused, sighed as she let out something else she didn't mean to say.

Why was she so awkward?

She heard a small snort under her desk, and she groaned, kicking him once more.

Audrey turned her head, keeping her arms crossed.

"Well then...as I said. I will be here tomorrow to have a look at your designs before the show."

Marinette stood up and nodded.

"Of course..." She agreed, watching as her boss turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Marinette sighed and she plopped back into her chair with a groan

Did she really say that?

She immediately glared down at her love as he slowly peaked his head out from underneath the surface of the desk.

"I...uh...know You didn't want me to hear it but...I now kinda know that pee comes out of you." Adrien whispered, a small smile on his face.

Marinette felt her face blush up. She wasn't sure if it was from embarassment or complete frustration.

"You really are an insatiable and obnoxious kitty even without the mask..." the blunette crossed her arms, looking down at him.

Adrien pouted and moved closer, placing his face into her lap again.

"I can purr for you if you want..."

Marinette looked down at her kitty and sighed. She couldn't stay mad at him. Lately she couldn't. She reached down and ran her hand through his hair.

"Don't purr..." She smiled weakly. "But you heard, I have to get some things done before tomorrow morning. You can be my little cheerleader." Marinette murmured, slowly pulling away.

She walked to her closet where she kept the fabrics. She had a few glittery gold sheets she would be able to move.

Adrien hopped out from under the desk, picking up Marinette's bag and placing it on the desk.

"Gooo team!" Adrien chirped, jumping up slightly.

Marinette giggled, looking back at her kitty cat cheerleader.

Plagg groaned, slowly pulled his head out from Adrien's shirt pocket.

"I'm hungry..." he groaned, rubbing his eyes as he had just finished a nap.

Plagg could really sleep through anything.

A/N: A small chapter so you guys know I'm still alive.

I'm sorry it took so long for an update, but my life has been filled with so much drama lately. It seems to be calming down a bit.

Thank you for sticking by me. I love you guys.


	10. Chapter 9

"I'd say something to her." Nino's voice emanated from beside Adrien.

Adrien hummed, his comrade ejecting him out of his train of thought.

"Mm..." Adrien hummed back. It wasn't always that Adrien allowed himself to be distracted by visitors at work, and it wasn't like Nino stopped by often to come see him.

Adrien was keen to friendly faces, it was rare his father let anyone see him, he was gonna take it whenever he had the chance.

Both the males glowered their eyes over the tan model who posed in front of the camera.

Nino scoffed, watching Lila roll her shoulders and look seductively into the camera.

"She looks ridiculous. Is this what modeling is about? Looking funny in front of a camera?" Nino asked, looking over to Adrien who nervously chewed on his thumb nail.

"More or less. Some of us aren't as creepy as that." Adrien deadpanned, looking back at his friend with a nervous glance.

"She hasn't changed. It's a shame you guys didn't notice her behavior back in high school. She was...kind of insane."

Nino hummed, crossing his arms.

"She brought Alya into this, so she became my issue too."

Adrien subtly nodded.

"Imagine working with her. She makes me nervous. She's always following me around, threatening to make Marinette leave me. I mean I thought the high school day time drama was over."

Nino scoffed, leaning more so into the wall with a perplexed expression.

"Is this the moment when you're gonna explain that vulture insider joke to me?" He perked a brow. "I mean it's really starting to catch on."

Adrien nodded, his eyes drifting off so that Lila didn't spot him looking at her.

"She's got claws like a crow." Adrien muttered. "Look-have you seen her hands? They're not as soft as she makes them look in photos."

Nino snorted, crunching his hands to his side's to mimic a crow with claws.

"Caw! Caw!" Nino screeched, flapping his claws hands as if he were a preying bird.

Adrien snorted in laughter, but quickly regained himself, tugging at his friends arms and hushing him before Lila could even notice.

"Shhh Don't let her see you." He grinned, gazing back at the tan model who threw on her robe and began to get her makeup touched up.

Nino shook his head.

"I wanted her to hear it. But if she'll rat on you, I'll keep my cool." Nino complied, letting his arms rest at his side.

The boys remained quiet, and Adrien resumed chewing on his thumbnail, the lines under his eyes deepening with stress.

Nino frowned, noticing the grimace on his friend and shook his head.

"Do you believe Marinette? That Lila was the one who sent the photo into the press?" Nino asked, not keeping his gaze off of Lila.

"As much as I hate to say it, I've known her too well in high school." Adrien conceded, looking back at him friend with a grimace. "But I think she definitely had something to do with it."

Nino tutted, his arms crossing in a taut formation.

"This isn't high school anymore. The teenage drama should have stayed back in the petty days..." Nino grumbled. "We're too old for this shit."

Adrien scoffed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"You and Marinette said that very same thing..." he sighed, his eyes closing as his mind wandered over to his bluenette bride to be."

"Please please please!" Alya begged her friend, clasping her hands together.

Marinette frowned and she looked at her sew model form. She was able to snag Chloe's measurements before she left her office and was glad to go home early so that she could start on it.

She felt terrible. She wanted to accommodate her friend to the corner store of a pregnancy test, but she was on a tight schedule.

"I don't want to go on my own, me and Nino are suspecting that I'm pregnant. If I can just buy a test and then confirm it with a doctor, I'll forever be in your debt." Alya pleaded.

Marinette blushed, stepping back from her figure to look at her friend. Marinette felt honored that she would be the first to know if she was pregnant, but it brought back so many memories.

It was the very same corner store she had purchased her first test and she learned that she was pregnant with her first child.

Her blue eyes glanced over to her little one, who sat on the sofa beside Alya, eating at the chocolates that Adrien had bought for her earlier in the day.

Marinette did most of her pregnancy on her own. Had it not been for Tikki, she probably would have made a few disheartening decisions, which she started off doing by not telling Adrien sooner.

Even though Alya knew of Tikki. It wasn't like she had her own full time kwami like Marinette did. She turned her head to glance down at her kwami who poked her head out of her purse with a look of reassurance

Marinette would want someone to do the same for her

"You know I wouldn't leave you to do this on your own..." Marinette murmured. She took one last look at her model form and then looked at Alya. "Let's make it quick!"

Alya gasped, her eyes widening and she immediately jumped up to wrap her arms around her friend.

"Thank you so so much!" Alya exclaimed, jumping up and down while forcefully twirling Marinette around in a circle.

Louis gasped at the scenery.

"Yay!" He exclaimed, wrapping his arms around the pair of friends. He hadn't the slightest clue of what was going on, but he knew that if it involved hugs, he wanted to be included.

The pair pulled away from each other, mostly for Marinette to dress her little one. She bundled him up, and kept a tight grip on his hand as they both ventured from the store.

They walked down their narrow street, and since the incident with Nathan kidnapping their baby, Marinette was a nervous wreck when it came to letting Louis out of her sight.

It still took an insane amount of convincing when it came to babysitting. Even the fear of losing her job was enough to pry her away from her little one.

"What are you going to do if you are pregnant?" Marinette asked as the trio walked down the narrow street. "I thought you guys wanted to take things slow and travel the world or something."

Alya hummed, reaching for the other hand of Louis.

"I was on birth control." She shrugged. "One night we didn't use a condom and things just happened." She tried to shrug it off. "I know birth control doesn't work one hundred percent of the time. I can't even tell if I missed any of my periods because they're usually little to none when I'm on time with my birth control..."

Marinette nodded, her blue eyes flickering to examine the face of her hopeful friend.

"You want it to be positive, don't you?" She asked, her brow raising.

Alya blushed, shrugging as she was put on the spot.

"I mean...if it's negative I'll be fine, and if its positive I'll be fine as well. I know me and Nino wanted to get more serious." She bit her lip. "Perhaps marrying one another and starting a family, but if this one is a surprise, then we are okay with it too." She looked down at Louis who began skipping cracks in the ground between the both of them.

"We did a lot of traveling and we spent a lot of time together." She continued. "But I'm ready to settle down..."

Marinette nearly squealed at the thought of her best friend getting married. She was truly happy for her. There was definitely no other joy than to be with your family, and creating one with the person you loved.

"Well...whatever the results are..." Marinette murmured, breaking the silence that had started to grow between them.

"I'm happy for you..." She turned her head, watching as they approached the store.

"What are you doing here?" Lila asked, her eyes shooting arrows into Nino.

"I was told Adrien was not to have any distractions. This is an important photo shoot we were supposed to have together and you being here doesn't help."

Nino glanced back at Adrien as he was already in his dressing room.

Nino rolled his eyes back to the girl.

Can he say something?

Technically the coast was clear, Adrien was nowhere in sight. He couldn't stop Nino from saying something if he wanted to.

"I'm here because I'm allowed to be, and if anyone is a distraction its most definitely you. Your voice alone is enough to send dogs running backwards." Nino muttered.

Lila's eyes widened as the crew placed a veil on her head.

"You're a pig!" She hissed, turning her back and gripping on to her wedding dress and walked off.

Adrien came out of his dressing room with a grimace, his brow furrowing as Nino flipped Lila off the moment she had her back turned.

He had to admit that it was odd having one of his closest friends watch him model with probably one of the least liked person's on the planet.

He also wasn't sure if he was comfortable doing a wedding themed photoshoot with Lila playing the role of his bride.

"I'm not sure if I feel comfortable doing this. I feel like this will give her the wrong idea...feed her sick fantasy." Adrien sighed, fixing the tie on his suit.

Nino nodded, crossing his arms and facing away from Lila as she positioned herself in front of the camera. "I can't say I blame you. I've got the feeling she doesn't have a sense of reality."

Adrien groaned, wanting to just curl into a hole and die.

"Adrien!" Camille called out. "Let's go, buddy. We are on a tight schedule."

Adrien sighed, giving his friend one last pleading look to pray for his survival. He hesitantly joined the brunette behind the camera.

Lila took the lead. She pressed her body into his.

Snap.

She wrapped her arms around him.

Snap.

She played with his hair and stared into his eyes.

Snap.

Adrien felt a little dead inside. He was just going through the motions, he was doing what he had to do. He wasn't sure how many frames they got. All he could recognize was Lila constantly moving against him.

He was in a trance.

The voice that called out to him was faint.

Was it over yet?

"Adrien!" Camille's voice rang through his trance.

Adrien blinked, looking up at her.

"Huh? What?" He asked.

Camille stood next to the photographer, shaking her head.

"You're not focused, Adrien. You looked bored and out of it in almost all of these frames..."

Adrien frowned, looking at her.

"Oh...I'm sorry..." he cleared his throat, straightening himself out. "I guess I'm just thinking about other stuff."

Camille frowned.

"Put your game face on, Adrien. We're almost done..."

Lila rolled her eyes, a sly smile slowly making its way on to her face.

"I have an idea...to spice things up!" She chirped, clasping her hands together. "It'll definitely make things so much more interesting." She innocently batter her eyes as Adrien who glanced back at her nervously.

She shimmied over to Adrien, wrapping her arm around his.

"A sweet kiss on camera would be something to rave about on the next cover..."

Adrien gulped, his blood running cold. He looked over to Nino who stiffened up straight as board

"Oh...well..." Camille pondered, looking over to the photographer who simply shrugged.

"N-No." Adrien flatly blurted out. "I dont feel comfortable with that-"

Lila's grip tightened around his arm and she smiled weakly.

"A-Adrien. Don't be silly...it's not about comfort, it's about what sells. You need to sell these covers and I believe a kiss between the both of us would do just that." Her smile became for forced, her eye nearly twitching as she looked to Camille.

"No..." Adrien pulled away from Lila. It was almost as if a light bulb went off in his head.

"You know what will sell?" He continued. "Actual cover photos of me and my wife. Everyone is already invested in my personal life with Marinette. A wedding themed photo shoot with my actual wife will sell millions." He crossed his arms, stepping away from Lila who looked like she was ready to explode.

Camille widened her eyes, almost as if she was looking at a golden idea.

"That's...actually a brilliant idea..." She murmured, tapping her pen against her lips. She immediately reached for her iPad.

"Can you get her here tomorrow?" She perked a brow.

Adrien grinned, almost ready to bounce on his feet.

He didn't really like selling his personal life for copies, but if it had to be done, and could be used to avoid Lila, he would totally do so in a heartbeat.

"Yes...I can get her here. Just say the words..."

"Why did you buy three pregnancy tests?" Alya asked as she pulled the boxes out of the plastic bag.

Marinette hummed as she finished up the final touches on her sewing model form.

In the inspiration of a bee pattern on her design, Marinette was able to spill it in glitter and gold.

It was over the top and sparkly, just in Chloe's taste.

"I just thought I'd take one with you. I know I'm not pregnant, but I'm going the extra mile to make sure you aren't doing anything alone." She giggled, glancing back at her friend who unboxed the first pregnancy test.

"You should thank me."

Alya giggled, looking up at Marinette.

"Thank you-" she stood up. "I'm going in first!" Alya gripped on to the test. She paused before she can let herself into the bathroom.

"You don't have to follow me. This part I can do on my own."

Marinette gasped, placing a hand on her chest.

"What? You mean I dont get to watch you pee on a stick? Oh cruel!" She feigned despair, throwing her hands up dramatically to her head.

Alya rolled her eyes.

"Get a grip, girl!" She teased, closing the door behind her.

Marinette chuckled. She hummed, opening another box of her own.

She felt like she was taking a gag test.

While Louis was distracted she tip toed to her second bathroom.

In a hurry, she pulled down her pants and underwear.

She unwrapped the pregnancy test, making her business as quick as possible.

When she was done, she washed her hands and walked back to her work study. She placed the pregnancy test on the desk and then turned to Louis who just finished the bag of chocolates completely.

The bluentte frowned, reaching for her son who was covered in chocolate.

"Nooo, I didn't want you eating so much sugar, Lou." She pouted, attending to her son as Alya walked out of the bathroom and placed her test beside Marinette's, taking special note of its placement.

"Is he prone to sugar rushes?" Alya asked, overhearing Marinette's dismay.

Marinette shrugged, lifting the baby up in her arms.

"I'm not sure...he never had this much sugar before." She frowned, taking him into the bathroom. She grabbed a few baby wipes, gently cleaning the smears off his face.

Tikki poked her head out, glancing down at Louis who smiled the moment he saw her. He gently reached out to her to which Tikki quickly floated to his cheek, nuzzling into him.

Marinette giggled at her kwami, smiling softly as her son and one of her best friends began to cuddle.

Marinette was done with his face, finally clear of all the chocolate.

Louis hummed, rubbing his eyes. Marinette glanced at the clock, it was getting quite late.

"Alright buddy, let's get you to bed." She gasped, lifting the baby up.

"Marinette..." Alya suddenly appeared behind her, nearly scaring Marinette half to death.

The blunette turned around, looking at Alya who seemed to be in shock.

"You have to see this..." She breathed, turning on her heels and dissipating back in Marinette's work room.

The blunette sighed, looking at Tikki.

"Can you put him to bed? I'll be in to tuck him in..." Marinette whispered to her kwami. "He can dress himself, you'll just have to help him out a little. If you lay beside him, he'll go to bed in a snap."

Tikki nodded, listening to Marinette before Louis was placed on to the ground.

Marinette gave Louis a soft kiss on the cheek and ruffled his hair.

"Go follow Tikki, she'll take you to bed okay? Be a good boy." She cooed, watching her son nod and follow Tikki to his room.

The blunette watched Tikki guide Louis back to his room before she met Alya back in her room.

She closed the door behind her, her brow furrowing as Alya looked down at the pregnancy test.

"Hey, what's up?" Marinette asked, slowly approaching the brunette who stepped aside, pointing to the pregnancy test on the desk.

The blunette furrowed her brow, reading the two lines on the test.

"Two lines means positive, right?" She asked, looking up at Alya with a small smile.

Alya gulped, nodding softly.

"That's a positive test..." she breathed in response.

Marinette immediately felt butterflies in her stomach. A wide grin spread across her face as she was almost ready to scream with joy.

"Alya! That's amazing!" She squeaked in a hushed whisper. "Congratulations!"

She opened her arms out, ready to hug her friend who gladly accepted the hug.

Alya remained still, hesitantly pulling away.

"Marinette..." her voice quivered.

Marinette frowned, pulling back to look at her friend, hearing the uncertainty in her voice was beginning to worry her.

"Alya? What's wrong?" She asked, cupping her face softly.

Alya looked into her eyes, shock still swarming her pupils.

"Marinette..." She continued again. "My test came out negative. That positive test was yours..."

It was like a shock to her core.

The blunette blinked, her blood feeling like it stopped pumping.

"What...?" She asked, immediately pulling away.

Alya frowned, reaching for her test and flashing Marinette the negative result.

"Your test came out positive..."

Marinette shook her head, reaching for the positive test.

"Wait...me and Adrien didn't even-"

She cut herself short as she remembered the night he got her out of the shower. She remembered it vividly.

She vividly remembered his hands on her, their kisses and she certainly remembered feeling him release inside of her. He was completely raw.

Her heart quickened and she clenched on to the test as she looked at Alya.

"Shit-"

It was all she could utter out.

Alya nodded, offering her an awkward smile.

"I'd say congrats, but you seem too much in shock. But...I think you're pregnant..."

Marinette trembled, looking down at the positive test.

"Shit..."


	11. Chapter 10

The night felt like it was dragging.

Adrien wasn't home from his photo shoot, and for the first time since the dawn of ages, Marinette couldn't have been happier.

Her anxiety started to tug at her like a hungry hippo, and immediately her mind was racing just as fast as her heart.

She stared blankly at her sewing model figure, her blue eyes dancing along the silk gold fabric almost flacidly as she repeated phrases in her mind over and over again.

She went through practice sentences, she went through scenarios, she went through plans and attempts, the backwards and the forwards, the ups and downs and thick and thins but ultimately ended up with a blank.

She had nothing.

The sky was pitch black, and Marinette had issues maintaining a proper conversation with Alya to keep her up and alert.

Without a second thought to her failure and without a dismay to Alya's dilapidated being she glanced down at now two positive pregnancy tests.

"Are you going to tell him when he gets home?" Alya slurred, lazily draping her arm across Marinette's shoulder.

Marinette inwardly groaned, drawing more so into the collar of her shirt as her anxiety immediately flared into the deepest parts of her stomach. She nearly felt sick.

Was it the anxiety?

Was it the booze from the night before?

Or was it because she was pregnant?

She had no idea anymore. One moment she was on the fast track to a cookie cutter life ( almost) and she always found herself entrapped in some sort of debacle.

"I-" Marinette shook her head. "I don't know. I want to make sure that I'm actually pregnant before I make any decisions."

Alya perked up slightly, her body nearly a dead weight door nail, the girl was that exhausted.

"You want to make sure?" Alya pressed, opening one eye to inquisition the bluenette. "You have not one, but two positive pregnancy tests sitting right in front of you. I'm not sure what more evidence you could possibly ask for. You have to tell Adrien."

Marinette sighed, allowing her friends words to swim in her head. She reached up and rubbed her temples. She cursed Alya's words. Though they were incriminating, they were right. Marinette was more than sure she was pregnant with her second child.

"I guess I'll just confirm it with a doctor. Make sure the pregnancy is safe..." Marinette murmured, looking over to her friend who was already passed out beside her.

"Until then...Adrien doesn't have to know..."

As if on cue, when Marinette was finally able to be by herself, her kwami friend poked her head out from behind her collar.

"Marinette.. " Tikkis small reprimanding voice emanated from below. "Alya is right...you can't make the same mistake twice. Do you remember what happened when you kept your pregnancy with Louis a secret?"

Marinette cringed at the memory. The first two trimesters of her first pregnancy was hell. It was a complete catastrophe up until she had confessed to Chat Noir that she was pregnant. That alone took more mental and physical effort than she could have possibly imagined.

She didn't want to think about going through it a second time.

Marinette stared down at her hands, dodging the accusatory glances Tikki was sending her way.

The blood rushed to her cheeks as her fists clenched around the test and she nodded

"I know you're right..." Marinette finally conceded after a long moment of silence. "But that's why I need to keep it a secret." She looked back at her friend who puckered her brow.

Just by the look on Tikki's face, Marinette was able to tell that she didn't necessarily accede with her chosen.

Marinette immediately shook her head. "No- I mean... I have to make sure the pregnancy is safe before doing anything." She pressed her lips together, closing her eyes so she could formulate an acceptable sentence. "We almost lost Louis, he feared he lost me for a moment and he lost his mother. If this pregnancy wasn't safe, and I lost this baby..." her voice trailed off, her eyes dropping at the thought. "This would kill him too. It's a bit of a surprise, I wanted to extend our family after we had said our vows, but if it happens now then it happens now. It's my job to make sure that it's safe."

Tikki listened to her. She was able to properly interpret the justification behind Marinette's reasoning. But the little magical being couldn't help but to feel a bit apprehensive of Marinette's decision.

"Is there anyway I can get you to change your mind? I truly believe it's important that Adrien knows immediately. You need that support from him..." Tikki floated up to eye level with her chosen, as if she were trying to reason by eye contact. She didn't want to pressure Marinette into doing anything, but she indeed believed it would be truly pivotal if Marinette did re-evaluate her conclusion.

After a moment of deep silence and contemplation Marinette managed to forge a smile.

"I have you for support-" Marinette murmured. "And Alya too-" she said, then jutting her head over to her unconscious friend beside her.

"It'll be fine. I promise. I'll call my doctor first thing in the morning..." she ushered, reaching her hand out to gently stroke Tikki on the head.

Tikki sighed with a grimace, hoping that it would go out as well according to plan.

"I hope you're right, Marinette..."

The bluenette smiled weakly, the smile dropping the moment she saw the headlights in the driveway shining through her window.

"O-oh!" Marinette gasped, immediately jumping to her feet. The leverage immediately pulling Alya's pillow right from underneath her. It didn't disturb her as she flopped face first into the seat of the sofa while Marinette stuffed her tests into the drawer of her desk.

Tikki floated over to Alya, tugging at her cheek meat in an attempt to wake her up.

Marinette paced back and forth.

"Look busy...look busy..." she bit her lip looking around in a desperate attempt to appear casual.

Tikki looked back at Marinette as she panicked. Leaving Alya's side, she floated closer to Marinette.

"Marinette! You were fine where you were. Don't over think this or you'll look suspicious!"

Marinette gulped, immediately hurrying over to her designs and began to fiddle with the fabric as the front door opened.

Tikki sighed, lowering herself and floating away, deciding to check on Louis and leaving Marinette to figure out the mess on her own.

Knowing that Louis was in bed by that time, he and Nino made the entrance to the house as quiet as they could.

Nino closed the door behind him, immediately looking around for the girls.

Adrien looked up, smiling as he saw Marinette from down the hall and began to saunter down the hall before Nino caught up to him.

Adrien paused, making a stop in Louis' room to check in on the toddler who was fast asleep with Tikki curled into him.

As per usual, his own kwami flew out of his pocket and joined Tikki. The black kwami nuzzled into the boys blonde hair, closing his eyes.

Adrien felt warm, his hand lightly cradling his sons cheek. He knew he was safe with their kwamis they were like his little guardian angels.

Nino briefly watched Adrien have a moment with his son, but it wasn't long until he made his way into Marinette's work space room looking for Alya.

He stood in the door way, eying Marinette has she awkwardly threw the pieces of fabric over her finished designs.

"Hey-" he spoke lowly, his eyes looking at the design on her model form. "Is Alya in here?"

Marinette blushed with a soft nod, stepping aside to reveal her unconscious friend. "Yeah uhm...we waited up all night but she couldn't handle it. She was exhausted..."

Nino smiled at his love. She was such a beautiful sight. He approached her as she slept, lightly touching her shoulder and waking her up. Alya groaned, leaning into him as she tried to fight consciousness that began to over power her desire to just lay there and sleep.

"Come on...we're going home. You can go back to sleep." Nino whispered to his love, wrapping his arms around her to help pick her up.

Alya stood on her feet, reaching down to grab her jacket. Finally putting two and two together, she looked at Marinette with an ushering look.

Marinette looked away, pretending that she didn't see it. She knew Alya wouldn't tell Adrien about it without her consent.

Nino helped Alya with her coat and even grabbed her bag for her.

"We'll see you guys at the show tomorrow." Nino rasped, placing his hand at Alya's hip to guide her out of the room. "We're really looking forward to seeing your designs on the walk-"

Marinette giggled at Nino's teasing. She looked at Alya who waved at her sleepily.

"Goodnight, Marinette." Her eyes flickered over to Adrien who approached the door frame.

Marinette gulped, feeling her heart quicken. She knew she shouldn't be so worked up around Adrien, but she found herself back into the old whims of homeschool where she'd foam at the mouth and say weird things whenever he approached her.

"Goodnight-" Nino spoke, breaking Marinette out of her train of thought that felt like it took her forever to sort through. Marinette watched as Adrien walked them to the door and let them out.

Her blue eyes wandered over to the window, watching their car pull out of the driveway and drive down their small street. She sighed, dropping the fabric off of her finished piece and she stepped back, crossing her arms.

Her bottom lip pouted as she thought about what was in the desk drawer. She had to act casual all night, and Marinette was a terrible cover up. She was surprised she could keep her identity a secret after all of this time.

She looked up just in time to see Adrien return to the room.

A warm smile graced his lips and he immediately captured her in a firm hug.

Her eyes widened at the sudden gesture, her heart raced and she reciprocated. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face into his chest.

"I've missed you. Couldn't stop thinking about you all day." He murmured into her hair. "Did you eat? I can whip you up something quick if you are." He pulled back to look at her.

The blunette smiled. She really did manage to meet a good man.

"I'm alright." She hummed, looking up at him. "I finally finished my designs in time. All I have to do is get them to Chloe tomorrow and prepare for the show tonight. Luka already has his designs, I'm surprised I got everything done under pressure."

Adrien pursed his lips in thought, subtly nodding at what she had to say. He pressed a gentle kiss to her head and hummed. "Make sure you take a break after this. You've been working yourself to the bone lately."

Marinette shrugged in response. She hasn't really thought about a vacation. She had just started the job, and didn't think that now was the time to take one.

"Mm. I thought that could wait until the honeymoon." She chuckled, her smile immediately washing away as Adrien curled his fingers under her chin and lifted her face up towards his.

She could feel her breath leave her the moment her blue eyes looked into his promising emerald orbs.

A soft blush immediately rushed to her cheeks and to her lips and Marinette inwardly scolded her heart to slow down.

She knew what he was going to do. This wasn't anything new or different.

He always did this when they spent some time apart. She just didn't understand why it felt different.

As she expected, the blonde leaned down and captured her lips in a soft kiss. His hand slid to the back of her neck, keeping her close. Marinette's lips trembled against his and she kissed him back, moving along side of him as he tugged her close and deepened the kiss.

Marinette felt strange. She felt warm, and almost desperate. She remembered this feeling long ago when she was pregnant with Louis. She felt butterflies in her stomach, and a pulsation of heat that started from her chest, and shot down straight between her legs.

It wasn't until she felt his tongue make an entrance into her mouth that she nearly melted right there on the spot.

At this rate, she'd be found out immediately. She furrowed her brow, slowly moving away from the kiss, his lips sucking on to her before they were at a great distance.

Adrien kept his mouth open, almost as if he was surprised that she had pulled away mid kiss. He perked a brow, straightening up as he looked down at his fiance who was completely red and about ready to explode.

" Are you okay?" He asked, reaching over to cup her face and get her to look at him. "I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable."

Marinette shook her head, placing her hands on to his that rested on her cheeks. "No you didn't..." she breathed softly before she pulled away. "I'm just tired thats all..."

Adrien frowned, nodding softly and placing his hand at her hip.

"Alright. Let's get you to bed." He pressed a soft kiss to her head and guided her back to the bedroom.

Marinette felt a little guilty. She didn't like hiding things from him or making him feel like he did anything wrong to her.

Part of her began to second guess herself. She knew Tikki and Alya were right. Perhaps it would be a better thing to tell him straight away.

She reached for her pyjamas, and carefully began to undress.

"So I hope work wasn't too much of a struggle today." Marinette said as she slipped on her baby doll night dress Adrien had bought for her birthday. She loved the way the silk was. It was a comfortable thing to wear to sleep.

"It wasn't too bad." Adrien responded, taking off his shirt and grabbing his pyjama bottoms. "They had a wedding themed photo shoot with Lila that went well until she tried to kiss me."

Marinette paused, her brow furrowing as she listened to Adrien's voice from behind her. She looked back at him, briefly distracted by the muscles on his shoulders. She bit her lip, trying to focus on what he had said before he caught her ogling him like a horny school girl.

"She tried to kiss you?" Her voice was soft and quivering. Marinette was always one to be reserved, and it often led people to walk all over her, especially Lila. Marinette knew when enough was enough, and Lila was certainly able to breach that point.

Adrien gave her a sheepish shrug.

"Camille suspected I was getting bored of the topic. Said I looked unfocused and Lila thought that a kiss would be a formidable solution. I mean I knew what her real intentions were, but I didn't feel comfortable with it because of just that. She wasn't really trying to do what was for the best interest of the shoot, she was just doing it to try and kiss me..."

Marinette blinked, taking in his words. The thought of some other woman purposely trying to worm her way between them even while knowing they were together made her blood boil. The blunette cleared her throat, folding her used closed for the day to put them in the laundry basket.

"Y-You...uhm...you didn't kiss her... did you?" She asked, looking up at him, almost nervous of the answer.

Adrien frowned, noticing her awkward stance and stammering sentence. He hadn't seen that self conscious essence since he had met Kagami.

"Of course I didn't-" he replied softly, approaching her to pull her into a tight hug. "I didn't feel comfortable with it, so I flat out told them that I wasn't going to do it."

Marinette relaxed in his arms, letting his words assure her. "Oh...okay..." She closed her eyes. "I hope it didn't delay anything or cause any issues."

Adrien chuckled, pulling back to offer her a sheepish smile.

"Actually-" he cleared his throat.

Marinette immediately felt her heart drop. "Oh no...there's more?" Her bottom lip pouted outwards.

Adrien held her shoulders.

"No, no. I just mean...that..." he sighed, biting his lip as he tried to word it correctly. "I...kind of told them that I can get you to do the shoot instead..."

Marinette looked at him blankly.

"Adrien..." She started.

Adrien immediately cupped her face, squishing her cheeks as he knew she was going to object to the idea. "Noooooo. Nooo. Nooo." He groaned. "I know you don't like being in front of the camera, or selling our private lives for magazines, but I have to do this. I'd rather it be with you, then to be with Lila. At least the expressions on my face would be genuine."

Marinette narrowed her eyes as he continued to beg as well as squish her face into silly postures. "Adrien...I'm not a model. Also, hello? Did you forget that I have a show tomorrow evening?" She asked, reaching up to remove his hands from her face.

Adrien slowly descended to his knees, burying his face into her belly as he begged her, much to Marinette's surprise.

"It'll be quick. I scheduled it right in midday. You can take your break, we'll take a couple photos and then I'll drive you back myself." He murmured into her belly.

Marinette blushed, feeling his face on her and his arms wrapped around her waist. Naturally her hands rested on his shoulders, which were quite build to her liking. Her heart began to pick up speed again, the very familiar warm feeling spreading throughout her body.

She was going to be found out.

"Okay!" She gave in, hoping that her agreement would make him move away from her so she could collect herself.

Adrien grinned, looking up at her.

"Really? Marinette you have no idea how much this means to me!" He piped, immediately rubbing his face into her.

Marinette only turned more and more pink. He was doing quite the opposite of what she was hoping he'd do. He was driving her insane.

"Okay! Okay! Just...put a shirt on!" Marinette gasped, immediately pulling away from him. She left a flustered Adrien on her knees and she retreated back to bed. She pulled the covers over herself, hiding herself completely.

Adrien blinked, feeling dumbfounded as he carefully stood up. He looked at the lump underneath the blanket, hoping he wasn't making her uncomfortable.

"But...I always go to bed without a shirt..." he grumbled, turning back to the closet so he could locate a comfortable shirt to sleep in. He chose one of his casual white T-shirts and slipped it on.

Shaking off the little moment of embarassment there, he climbed into the bed beside her.

Naturally he moved closer to her. With a hopeful smile, he wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her closer, rubbing his face into her neck. It was something he did every night.

By God the gesture drove Marinette up the wall.

She wasn't sure if it was all in her head because she was now aware of the hormonal changes, or if she was actually experiencing it.

Her eyes widened, her heart racing as Adrien pressed his lips against her neck, ready to fall asleep right there beside her.

Marinette squirmed, moving away from him and stuffing some pillows between them.

Adrien furrowed his brow as Marinette forced some space between them. He was starting to get the feeling he did something wrong.

"You don't want to cuddle?" He whispered quietly in the dark. "We always cuddle. Did I do something wrong?"

Marinette shook her head, pulling the blankets over herself. "No, it's just...warm and I want to have a little bit of space to keep my own warmth under my side of the bed, because with you it's too warm..."

Adrien furrowed his brow at the response. He immediately began to pull the pillows out from between them. "Marinette...what the hell is going on?" He asked softly, propping himself up to peer over her shoulder.

"Your response made absolutely no sense..."

Marinette closed her eyes, pretending not to hear him as she tried her best to sleep.

Adrien watched her remaining silent. He reached over and tugged the blanket off of her only slightly. "I think you're hiding something from me..."

Marinette immediately froze. She squeezed her eyes tighter. As always, Tikki was more than likely right. She was terrible at covering things up, and her acting too casual just made her all the more suspicious. "I'm not hiding anything..." she bit her lip, feeling guilty for the lie. "Its just been a long day, that's all. I want a little space tonight..." her heart ached at her own words. Part of her was really tempted, to just give in to her desires with gusto. She shouldn't have to care so much, much less make things as difficult as she always does.

Adrien frowned, nodding and accepting what she had to tell him. "Okay, I'll give you the space you need then..." his voice was barely above a whisper. Adrien grabbed on to his pillows, he comforted himself in them and closed his eyes.

Marinette waited, feeling him go still. It wasn't long before she heard him breath evenly in sleep. She turned over, her eyes scanning his face as he slept peacefully. Her heart ached as she worried she was treating him poorly. Her insecurities kicked in, scolding her that he deserved better. Better than her, better than Lila. She closed her eyes, keeping herself in his direction before she slowly succumbed into her exhaustion.

It was definitely the hormones.

She was tired.

It almost felt like she was run over by a truck the night before. Marinette was surprised she was even able to wake up on time and make it to her office just before Chloe arrived to tell her mother she was late.

Marinette wasn't sure if espresso was safe to drink during the first early stages of pregnancy, but she couldn't find it in her to care at the moment.

The girl sat on her desk, taking small sips of her drink as Chloe bounced around in her new outfit.

Marinette could have mentioned she had an interesting night

She didn't expect Adrien to keep away from her the entire night, but as expected she did wake up to him completely wrapped around her. She expected no different. They had been cuddling since Louis was born, it wasn't an easy habit to break. She had a bit of a morning sickness, and it was a distracting from Adrien making her life a horny hellscape.

"Of course my mother's business only produces the best clothes in Paris!" Chloe chirped, admiring herself in the mirror. Marinette blinked, taking another sip of her espresso.

"Might I say, even better than Gabriel's designs." Chloe egged on, feeding her ego.

Marinette rolled her eyes. She was glad that Chloe liked the outfit, but she doubted that Chloe would even acknowledge that Marinette had made them anyway.

"Just don't be late for the show." Marinette sighed, placing her cup down beside her. "It starts at seven. I know your time is more valuable than everyone else's, but that means you have to be there at least two hours early. You dont want to upset your mother." She deadpanned.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Of course Dupain Cheng. I'm not stupid. I've done many fashion shows before." She looked back at Marinette, a cocky grin spreading across her face. "Which is more than what you can say for yourself." The blonde turned her attention back to the mirror to admire herself.

The blonde admired the gold and glitter color schemes on the outfit. The black striped designs fit her personality so well. A small blush crept on to her face. "Mother knows my tastes so well." She murmured, taking one last look at herself before she headed towards the door.

Marinette looked up at her. "But your mom didn't make the designs..." she uttered out, flinching as Chloe slammed the door behind her, not even giving Marinette the time of day. "I did..." she sighed, looking down at her lap.

She climbed off the desk, grabbing her espresso and taking a sip. She took a quick glance at her watch. It was certainly going to be a long day. She sent a quick good morning text to her love, trying to be as sweet as she could to try and make up for her strange behavior. She placed her phone on her desk, wondering what he was up to.

Tikki poked her head out of Marinette's bag and then floated on to her lap. The little creature looked up at Marinette curiously. "Were you able to talk to Adrien last night?" She asked, almost hopeful that Marinette had changed her mind.

Marinette sighed, purposely blowing at her bangs. "I didn't tell him about my pregnancy..." she conceded with apprehensive. "I'm going to call my doctor after work and get a few tests. When the results come back, I'll tell Adrien right away." She looked down at her kwami.

Tikki frowned. She was about to object but immediately hid when there was a knock at the door. Marinette looked up, blinking as Luka allowed himself into the office.

He smiled at her, a small blush dusting his cheeks.

"Sorry, I hope I'm not interrupting anything..." his voice was soft as he closed the door behind him. "I wanted to show you what the outfit looks like on me before he start the rehearsals for the show. Y'know..."he rubbed the back of his neck. "In case there was anything you wanted to change."

Marinette smiled at her bashful friend. She was really grateful. She admired how he was selfless and always made sure to run things by her when it came to her designs. Marinette climbed out of her seat and she hummed, pursing her lips as she fixed his top slightly. She pulled back to admire her work, she loved how well it matched Luka. "It looks great on you..." she concluded. "I'm thrilled with how it turned out."

Luka looked down at himself, the first few buttons on the top were undone, showing the delicate planes of his chest.

Marinette allowed her eyes to look down at his chest. It was nice to look at, and while Luka was indeed attractive, Marinette wasn't ready to pounce on him like she felt with Adrien. Perhaps she wasn't sexually attractive to Luka her hormones didn't create such a distress the way they did when she was around her husband.

In a way she was grateful, she didn't have to worry about having to keep a distance from him seeing as though she had to work with him before the show.

"I think you're good to go." Marinette smiled, trying to stifle a yawn by placing her espresso cup to her face.

Luka nodded, giving Marinette a pat on her shoulder. "Okay, I'll see you tonight." He gave her one last smile before he excused himself, and let himself out of her office.

Marinette followed him with her eyes. She sighed, watching the door for a brief moment before she tugged down her sleeve and read the time. She looked down at Tikki with a nervous glance. "Time flies when you're panicking. Adrien will be here any moment." She quickly gulped down her espresso and then placed the cup on her desk.

"Good luck." Tikki murmured, giving Marinette an apologetic look. "At least you're doing something nice for Adrien."

Marinette nodded, grabbing her purse. "He owes me for this one." She giggled.

Marinette kept a tight hold on Adrien's hand. She had no experience with photo shoots whatsoever. This was completely out of her element. She was usually the one who stood behind the camera, not in front of it. Marinette followed Adrien's lead, stepping over cords, avoiding lights.

She nearly hid into him, and at that point she was so nervous that she couldn't even notice her out of whack hormones. She looked up, a small blush appearing on her face as she spotted Nino and Alya waiting for them by the dressing rooms. A small smile crept on her face as she immediately felt at ease. At least she had some support.

Alya opened her arms, pulling Marinette into a tight hug, allowing her to let go of Adrien. Marinette wrapped her arms around her friend with a small smile.

"I am so glad you're here." Marinette murmured into her friend. "I don't why I'm such a nervous wreck. I can barely walk with Adrien around, now I get to take photos so that our pictures are everywhere."

Alya nodded, giving her friend an apologetic look. "Yeah, and with the whole out of context photo floating around...I know the last thing you want is to take more." She hugged Marinette again before letting her go.

Marinette blushed, rubbing her cheeks. "Its really not a big deal, I guess. It's for Adrien. He didn't want to do it with Lila." She explained.

Nino looked at the pair, before he looked at Adrien who stood beside him. "I can't believe she actually said yes." Nino muttered, nudging his friend playfully.

Adrien shrugged, looking at Marinette with a grimace. He didn't know why, but he felt like she was mad at him. Perhaps he would make it up to her. "It took some begging, but I know she's unhappy..." he sighed, his voice laced in sadness. "She's been acting weird, like she doesn't want to be around me. I know I'm probably over thinking it, but I have a hunch that something is wrong." Adrien then looked at Nino with a grimace. "Maybe she's upset that I asked her to do this with me..."

Nino shook his head, immediately placing his hand on his shoulder.

"Dude..." he leveled with Adrien eye to eye. "Its alright. There's always an explanation for everything. She's probably on that monthly thing. I know when Alya gets hers, she only wants massages and chocolate. Other than that, she couldn't care less to be around me."

Adrien narrowed his eyes, looking at Marinette as she talked with Alya. There was something familiar, but he couldn't really put his finger on it. "I-I'm not sure..." his voice trailed off. "It doesn't seem like it..."

"Adrien!" Camille called out, startling the group. "I'm so glad you came!" She charged towards them, pausing as she caught a glimpse of Marinette. "Thank you so much for coming! You have no idea how much you're helping us out."

Marinette blushed, nodding as she wandered back over to Adrien. He grabbed her hand again.

Camille pointed to the wedding dress and the suit in a plastic cover hanging from the rack. "I dry cleaned the clothes your father designed, the dressing rooms are open. Just come out when you're ready and then we'll do hair and makeup." She instructed, chuckling as she pat Adrien. "He's a pro. He knows what to do..." She turned to her photographer. "We have an hour. Mrs. Agreste needs to be back at work by then so let's make it snappy!"

Marinette blushed. The sound of those words making her bashful almost immediately. She looked up at Adrien. "Mrs. Agreste?" She asked, her voice quivering. "Is she talking about me?"

Adrien tugged on her hand, bringing her to their outfits. "Of course. You're taking my last name after all...and my mother isn't here." He meant to joke, but it came off a bit more sour than he had intended.

Marinette hummed, keeping her hand linked into his. With her free hand she grabbed the dress off the hanger, being careful as it was an original designed dress from Gabriel.

She was mesmerized. She had to let go of Adrien's hand to get a better look at it. Her fingers danced along the embroided beads on the the hem. She blinked, looking up at Adrien.

"I can't even begin to imagine how expensive this dress must be. I almost feel...unworthy of wearing it." She admitted sheepishly.

Adrien grabbed her hand, bringing up to his lips and kissing her knuckles softly. "If anything, the dress isn't worthy being on you..." he smiled, looking down at her.

Marinette blinked, a deep blush coating her cheeks as she felt his lips on her skin again. He was such a beaut. She succumbed to a small smile, turning to follow him to the dressing room.

Her blue eyes widened as she spotted a familiar figure standing by the dressing room. In an instant her heart dropped, a sour feeling left in her stomach.

Before she could get two words out, Alya's scoff was obnoxiously heard from behind them.

"Why does she have to be here?" Alya grumbled, not caring if Lila heard her.

Lila glared at Alya, moving away from the doors of the dressing room.

"I'm allowed to be here..." She snapped back, crossing her arms. " I have more of a reason to be here than you two."

Alya rolled her eyes, a blush of frustration beginning to rise on her cheeks.

Marinette cowered behind Adrien. Her insecurities immediatley Kicking in. Her old self had began to surface, she was going to let people walk all over her, simply because she didn't like fighting or confrontation.

She wasn't a teen anymore. That jealous determined and self assured person was hidden away somewhere.

"Lets just go..." Marinette whispered, looking up at Adrien who seemed to grow tense.

"You still don't have to be here...It's unnecessary, and you're certainly not needed here." Nino pitched in, standing behind Alya.

Lila rolled her eyes, standing in the way of Marinette and Adrien going into their dressing room to change. "Why? I work here so it's logical for me to be here..." her voice trailed off. "Besides, I'm here for the same reason you guys are." Her green eyes trailed over to Adrien with a small smile. "I'm here to support someone special to me..."

Marinette rolled her eyes secretly while hidden behind Adrien.

"Lets go...I don't want to waste anymore time arguing with her..." She whispered hastily.

Adrien tugged Marinette with him, brushing by Lila who glared at the two.

"Adrien?" Lila mused, allowing the two to brush by them. Adrien paused, rolling his head to look at her.

"What?" He muttered harshly.

Lila rocked back and forth on her heels, continuing to play her part as if she hasn't noticed Adrien's vexed compartment. "Don't you think its...quite unprofessional to share a dressing room with the other model? It's incredibly inappropriate, and could lead into the wrong idea. You know...unsafe ones for public assumption."

Marinette clenched her fists. She couldn't understand how this demon released a compromising photo with the malicious intent to rupture her reputation, could stand here and prohibit her being in the same dressing room because it wasn't safe for public assumption. Marinette purposely wanted to shove the little minx to deep hell and close the door in her face with Adrien in the same room, just to piss her off.

But there were so many people around. The last thing Marinette wanted was to make a scene.

So, instead she cowered behind Adrien. She remained quiet, not saying one word.

Adrien chuckled.

"Not safe for public assumption. As in everyone doesn't already that a wife and husband aren't intimate to things more than just sex. You're being pathetic, and you're wasting my time." He tugged his lady, guiding her past Lila once more and closing the door behind them as they entered the dressing room.

Marinette looked up at Adrien with a grimace. She looked down at the dress, any dignity she had left washed away from her in an instant.

Adrien unbuttoned his shirt, shrugging it off his body without even looking back at Marinette. He dropped his pants down to the ground, stepping out of them and picking them up to put aside. He reached for his suit and began to remove the plastic cover over him.

Marinette watched him, her eyes moving down to the way his boxers hugged his backside. She bit her lip, her brow furrowing.

Was he working out? Since when did his ass get so tight? Her heart began to race, and immediately that feeling washed over her. She faced away from him, her hands trembling as she began to undress herself. Marinette folded her clothes, putting them aside. She slid the dress on, pulling the zip from the side.

It fit perfectly. She looked down at herself as the dress hugged her in all the right places. Marinette felt like a queen. She even gave herself a little twirl.

Adrien fixed the collar on his suit, hearing Marinette giggle and move around from behind him.

Marinette turned over, just as Adrien did.

"The dress fits me-" her breath cut short.

A gasp emitted from both of them as they caught a final glimpse of their outfits.

Adrien looked so good in his suit. If anything he looked damn well delicious. A deep blush covered her cheeks as she looked up at him.

Marinette looked like a goddess. Adrien always knew he'd see her in a dress like this eventually, but nothing in his soul or mind could have prepared him for such a beautiful sight.

Adrien pressed his lips together, his heart racing. He would have loved to reach out to her the way he wanted, but the way she was acting around him lately made him apprehensive of doing anything. He cleared his throat, looking up at her blushing cheeks.

"You...You look amazing..." He murmured softly.

Marinette looked down at herself bashfully at his comment. She felt as if she had become a guitar string. He was tightening and tightening her tautly. She was moments away from finally snapping and giving in.

"You look delicious..."She breathed in response, her eyes gazing at the way his chest looked from the open collar.

Adrien blinked, furrowing his brow.

"Oh...uh heh. Thanks!" He slowly approached her, placing his hand on her waist. "Are you ready to go?" He asked, brushing some hair out of her face.

Marinette looked up at him, a small smile tugging her lips. She knew that before the night was over, he was going to be hers.

A/N: My loves! This chapter actually has three more scenes but I've decided to cut it and make it into two parts. My reasons are because it's gonna get NSFW again, and I wanted to make it easier for people who were uncomfortable with smut to just skip the chapter and move on to the next without really missing key details to the plot.

So your warning is now, I'll put another warning when the next part comes up. Next chapter will have NSFW!

Thank you guys so much for being patient with me!

I love you all so much I can't even shshajsoaksmam.


	12. Chapter 11

WARNING.

CHAPTER CONRAINS EXPLICIT NSFW. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. ANYONE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS CONTENT CAN SKIP THIS CHAPTER AND CONTINUE ON NEXT UPDATE.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Before reading on to this, I'd like to say these characters are fictional, are in their 20's and are based on my own versions of them. They are not canonical, its not real, they are not teens, underaged or children. It's fanfiction, its a story perceived from imagination. It has nothing to do with the canon characters, or the show. These characters are of my OCs as is BASED off a show I like but the content is my own.

Winx nut if you are reading it, please kiss my fat ass.

For my readers, I love you, and thank you for being so patient and supportive.

This chapter is unbeta'd I apologize for any grammatical errors.

Marinette stumbled in her designer heels, a deep blush on her face. Marinette wasn't used to seeing her face caked with this much makeup. She was almost sure that she was a different person. The blunette tapped her fingers nervously, gulping slightly as they placed the veil on to her head.

She had two left feet, there was no way she was going to keep herself in one piece.

"You'll be fine" Adrien assured her, approaching her from behind. He placed his hand on her waist. "You look beautiful by the way." He smiled at her, immediately noticing how nervous she had become.

Marinette decided she'd let him take the initiative, and guide her to the set. She had a death hold on his hand in case if she fell, she'd have someone to hold on to. "Is this what you have to go through everytime?" She asked, stepping on to the set where she was nearly blinded by the lights. She watched Adrien step on to the set with her, grabbing her waist and guiding her to him.

"More or less" he chuckled, his hand remaining on the small of her back. "Except without the heels. Sometimes they even have me up here half naked..." he offered her an odd smile.

The blunette blinked, looking up at him. "I can't imagine being completely exposed liked that for everyone to see..." She grumbled, her nose wiggling as she was able to smell his cologne.

It was nice. She placed her hand on his chest, leaning in closer to him so she could get a better whiff.

For a moment she didn't even notice anyone else that was in the room with her. It was just them. Her hand traveled up his chest and up to the back of his neck where she played with his blonde hair.

Adrien paused, blushing deeply as he recognized that look. His brow furrowed.

One moment she didn't want to be around him, and the next she couldn't keep her hands off of him. He didn't even realize that they had began taking photos. He was the enticed by her. Perhaps it was just part of her charm.

Marinette leaned on to him, a small smile on her face as she took him in. He was so warm, and caring and the thought of actually seeing him in this light for their wedding nearly brought tears to her eyes. She felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

Adrien guided her hands to the back of his neck, smiling as he looked into her eyes.

Marinette blushed, giggling as he did so, and they snapped a photo.

Adrien placed his hand on her waist, smiling at her and even quickly capturing her lips.

The blunette gasped, reciprocating the kiss briefly. She pulled away, her hormones reminding her why she was avoiding him in the first place as well as the notion that they were being watched and photographed.

Marinette didn't mean to be so bashful, and Adrien felt like himself. He was teasing her, playing around with her the way he normally did.

The crew was all in for it. Marinette even briefly forgot that Lila was in the room.

Marinette was having a bit of fun, poking fun around Adrien. She pressed her lips to his cheek, killing him at his own game before it was decided to wrap it up. She hummed, still having a bit of time to grab a bite to eat before she would have to go back for the show and attend the party afterwards.

Marinette grabbed on to his hand, allowing him to help her climb off the set before they were bombarded with people who were ready to undo their hair and wipe off their makeup. Her tummy was growling and Marinette hummed, expecting her to be hungry all the time seeing it was that way with her last pregnancy.

Marinette felt a little vexed, feeling like all the hands touching her face was invading her privacy. She politely declined some offers, using the makeup wipes to remove some of the makeup herself.

She looked over to Adrien, who didn't have much makeup on except for some foundation, blush and concealer. Marinette didn't want to move. She couldn't spot Lila anywhere, and that made her quite uncomfortable.

Marinette reached over, keeping her hand held into his. She leaned into him as the pair walked down towards their dressing rooms.

"You both looked amazing!" Alya gasped, immediately wrapping her arms around her friend. "The real wedding is going to move me to tears!"

Marinette blushed at her friend, looking up at Adrien who spoke to Nino about their upcoming plans regarding the party.

"Thanks..." Marinette breathed, looking up at Alya with a shy smile. "It was actually a lot more fun than I thought it was going to be. It won't be a habitual thing, but it was alright..." She explained, biting her lip as she was famished. "I'm so hungry..." She complained, pouting to her friend who shook her head.

Alya turned a bit more towards Marinette, almost as if she were trying to keep the conversation between the two. She didn't want a bad spectacle in case Adrien did hear about her pregnancy.

"Well, that's expected for your condition..." Alya pressed, briefly looking back at the boys. "But I have to admit I'm a bit excited. I wasn't there for Louis, but for this one...I can actually be there for the wedding and the baby as well." She whispered.

Marinette nodded, offering her a weak smile. "I know I can't keep this secret as long as the last one..." She pressed her lips together. "So when I do make my appointment with my doctor, and I get the confirmation..." She looked at Adrien with a grimace. "I'll tell him immediately..."

Alya smiled, feeling a little proud of Marinette's decision to disclose her pregnancy. "Are you going to record his reaction?" She asked, perking her brow and nudging her.

Marinette giggled, her eyes glancing over to the clock on the wall. "No thanks." She breathed. "I think I've had enough of the cameras and the internet clout for now."

Alya pressed her lips together and nodded, crossing her arms as she was able to catch Lila leaving.

"I have to go..." Marinette interjected. "I'll need you guys to cover for me at the party. I'll be there as soon as I can." She rubbed her cheeks, giving her friend a quick hug before she was tugging Adrien away from Nino who seemed apprehensive to part with his friend.

Alya nodded, watching them as she linked arms with Nino. It was only a matter of time before she too was dragging Nino out the door.

Adrien stumbled behind Marinette as she stuffed him into the dressing room and closed the door behind her.

She looked at Adrien with an apologetic smile and began to unzip her dress. "We don't have much time, remember?" She mused, sliding off her dress with a small blush. "They'll be at the party, we can catch up with them then."

Adrien sighed. He knew she was right. "Alright, Alright." He assured, unbuttoning his shirt.

Marinette dropped the dress to the floor and then she picked it up, putting it back on to the hanger.

Her eyes glanced over just in time to catch a glimpse of his tan skin peaking out from the opening of his shirt. Her heart raced, her cheeks growing pink as he tugged his shirt off and unbuttoned his pants. He was such a beautiful and erotic sight. He didn't even have to try. Marinette could have thanked her hormones for putting her in such a predicament. She almost wanted to scream. She didn't even care if he caught her ogling. She was doing just that.

She was ogling her soon to be husband.

There was no crime in that. Marinette breathed out, the blush rushing to her chest and moving down to the swells of her breasts that mounted over the bra cups of her pushup bra.

Before she knew it, Marinette had began moving towards him. Watching him as he folded and hung up his clothes, Marinette's feet was moving faster than her head.

Adrien turned around, blinking as he didn't quite expect Marinette to be right behind him. He looked down at her, his face softening as he gathered the uncertainty in her face.

"Hey-" he cooed, looking into her eyes to gather her attention. "Are you alright?"

Marinette pressed her lips together. She was going to be late.

And as always, she always gave into her desires at the most awkward and inconvenient of times.

She moved closer, pressing her body against his. Without uttering another word, she pressed her lips against his chest. She closed her eyes, kissing his smooth tan skin. She moved shoulder to shoulder, her tongue lightly slipping out to trace his skin.

Adrien froze, his heart pounding against his chest at the sudden gesture. He wasn't complaining, but he was quite surprised. It was strange. Just the day before she went through great lengths to avoid her, now it seemed quite the opposite.

His eyes widened, his mouth almost going dry as her hand delicately slipped into his boxers. Her fingers slowly curled around his length with a gentle an stimulating squeeze.

At the point Adrien would have said something cocky or a pun to break the mood between the two, but he couldn't find it in himself to formulate the sentence.

A quiet gasp escaped his mouth as her fingers slowly but surely began to stroke up and down the length of him. His eyes closed, a furrow creasing above his brow as he curled his toes from the sensation.

Marinette grinned as she quite literally had him in the palm of her hand. She knew all of his weaknesses, she knew what made him snap. She licked her lips as he increasingly grew in her palm. Her other hand traced the band of his boxers before she slid her digits underneath them.

Within moments his boxers fell to the floor.

Adrien knew he should be worried. They were in his dressing room, and they were on a strict time limit. Sure his photo shoot was over, but Marinette still had an important party to attend to.

He couldn't bring himself to do anything else. He was completely enamoured by her.

Adrien stepped out of his boxers, leaving them behind. He barely got two words out before Marinette dropped her underwear as well.

She stepped out of her underwear and reached for his hand. She tugged him lightly, the pair now completely naked. His erection was inevitable noticeable, standing straight up at attention. He yearned for her touch, despite how surprising the situation turned out to be. His fingers laced into hers as she guided him to their loveseat by the mirror.

Her eyes remained on his, her hands sliding up to his shoulders and forcing him to sit down.

Adrien sat down, his eyes looking up at Marinette, following her every order like a lost puppy...or kitten rather.

"I know we don't have a lot of time, but I thought maybe we could make some? For a quick one..." Marinette blushed, she climbed over him, straddling him. Her arms slowly wrapped around Adrien who was incredibly inclined at the gesture. His hands gently landed on her hips, almost guiding her to him as she prepared herself. "I hope that's okay..."

Adrien blinked, almost too heavy in a daze to correctly capture what she had just told him. He nodded, the blush deepening on his cheeks as she took the initiative.

He knew it was silly to worry about it at a time like this but he couldn't help it.

"Wait...what if I release inside of you?" He asked, his voice quivering. He knew he did it a few nights ago, but he was sure it was safe. As far as he knew she was on a contraceptive. It was a safe day.

At least that's what he thought.

Was it safe to assume that?

His mind cleared completely as Marinette lowered herself on to him. His heart pounded against his chest the moment he felt himself being surbmerged in wet warmth. She was so soft, and tight. She nearly knocked the air out of him. His arms immediately wrapped around her, just as her hands slid across the length of his shoulders.

"Its okay...you're safe to finish..." she smiled, her hands then sliding back up to cup his face in her hands. She chuckled, her brow furrowing as Adrien seemed completely at her mercy. He was struggling to keep himself together.

She pressed a gentle kiss, butterflies going off in her stomach as she felt him sheathed deep inside of her.

She gasped, her thighs tensing against his as Adrien immediately gave into his desires. He was like an inpatient kitty who got a treat for the first time in a few months.

Adrien gripped on to her hips, thrusting into her impatiently and with quite of a visceral movement.

Marinette bit her lip, her body bouncing in his lap before she finally placed her hands on to his hips, stilling them. A deep blush casted against her cheeks and she giggled softly, her lips brushing against his as Adrien finally came to a stop.

He smiled bashfully against her lips, pulling back to offer her an apologetic glance. He was quite embarassed at how needy he became, but the feeling washed away as Marinette took the initiative and began to move her hips in meticulous movements against him.

"S-Sorry!" He breathed, her body growing tense every now and again with each deep stroke of her body. "I guess I got too excited..." he closed his eyes, squeezing them shut as he bit his lip.

Marinette furrowed her brow in ecstasy.

"Don't worry- I'll take care of you..." the female whispered, her hands slowly playing with his blonde locks. She pressed her lips on to his, stifling his whimpers with a soft and gentle kiss.

A small gasp escaped his lips as Marinette began to meticulously move her hips, helping him sheath his length completely within her.

The blunette threw her head back in ecstasy as he provided her just what she needed.

Adrien had trouble keeping himself composed underneath her.

They were both still in a full studio. He was aware no one could walk in, he had made sure to lock the door, but moans and banging would definitely give them away if they weren't too careful.

Adrien bit his lip, harder and harder as Marinette began to ride him just at her own pace. She was so warm, and soft. His toes curled beneath her as he thrown into ecstasy that was her body.

It wasn't just about getting his dick wet, as it may have appeared from the surface. He just wanted to he close to her. He wanted her to know she was loved by him.

In some way Marinette felt the same. Aside from her hormones there was a sense of longing when she had him inside of her.

Her fingers danced on his shoulders as her movements became less and less meticulous and more visceral

Her hear hammered in her chest, her skin burning up as Adrien traveled his hands up her sides, slightly squeezing her.

She was such an erotic sight. Adrien couldn't take his eyes off of her. He loved the cute little noises she made when she was feeling good. She loved how her cute breasts bounced when she rode him.

She was just so beautiful.

His hands slowly slid up her sides, cupping her breasts and squeezing them.

Marinette whimpered softly above him, trying to be as quiet as she could. Her nipples immediately began to harden, the small pink nubs scraped against the palms of his hands as she rode him.

Her nails only dug into his shoulders, and her walls gripping tighter on to him only pushed Adrien to his orgasm.

Adrien felt everything run straight to his groin. In a matter of moments, his muscles quivered underneath her.

His brow furrowed, his jaw dropped and as if he was dawned from ice water. With a small grunt, he grew stiff and released.

The bluenette gasped, feeling him spill inside of her before she wrapped her arms around him. She buried her face into his hair, nuzzling into him.

Adrien pressed his face into her chest. His body trembled as he tried to catch his breath. He twitched, completely emptying inside of her. At that moment he didn't want to worry about getting her pregnant.

She must have been on the pill, right? She did say it was okay...

As far as Marinette was concerned, she was already pregnant. She didn't care where he finished.

Their embrace was warm, and Marinette's hormones were calm for the time being. She knew Adrien wasn't used to this kind of pining, as she was only pregnant once before.

The female breathed out, her body almost feeling like mud. She scolded herself. She allowed her hormones to take control once again.

Adrien kept his face buried into her chest. He was waiting and waiting to gain the feelings back into his legs again, but this wasn't home.

They literally just fucked in his dressing room, with his crew still outside the door.

The clothes they had shed for the photoshoot remained in piles on the ground. Marinette hadn't even thought about their kwamis, or the possible scene they were forced to hide away from.

But at the moment she didn't even have time. It was meant to be a quickie, and they had already lost track of time.

She needed to have a shower and haul her ass to her next event. Luka, Chloe and Audrey would be looking for her.

She pulled back a deep blush coating her cheeks as she attempted to bring her love back down to earth.

It proved to be a difficult task seeing as thought he was still enveloped in her, she was warm and he wanted nothing more than just to remain with her until he died.

However, she had a previous commitment.

"Can you feel your legs?" She asked, lightly brushing the hair out of his face. "Cause we need to get going..."

Adrien chuckled at her response, lightly, shaking his head as he really didn't want to move.

"Yeah yeah..." he teased, keeping his hands at her hips.

"Lets get going."

Marinette still wasn't used to wearing heels. She was known for her big bun and long lashes, but at this day and time Marinette would have much rather been in her pyjamas with her son.

Marinette was pleased with her outfit. Listening to her advisor aka Chloe, she was under the impression that the designer had to be top notch in fashion as well as her models.

It made sense to Marinette for the time being, but she had a few other things occupying her mind at the moment.

She was nearly so close to just calling out and not showing up.

Of course that could have marked the end of her career, her dream, her passion, but her hormones were out and about. It didn't help that Louis was throwing up before they left.

Marinette brushed her fingers through her hair, leading up to the bun that sat on the top of her head.

She pressed her lips together in the back seat of her fiances' bodyguards car. Adrien climbed into the vehicle, moving beside her before he closed the door, giving his driver the "okay" to continue.

"I think he ate too much. He's complaining of tummy aches, I promised him we'll be right back as soon as the show is over." Adrien murmured, looking over to his love who appeared to be really worried for their little one.

Adrien smiled, placing a hand on her hand and lacing their fingers together.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine."

He glanced down at her with a warm smile.

Marinette knew he was right. perhaps If they were lucky he'd be feeling better by the time they came back.

"Yeah ,I guess you're right.." she breathed glaring out the window.

She knew he would be. They were possibly going on their second child.

Marinette knew she needed to let go of the clutches regarding her son, especially now that she had to make room for two. She scooted over towards him, resting her head on to his shoulder as she thought some.

She bit her lip, a warm and familiar feeling washed over her the moment her hormones decided to come into play once more.

The blunette silently cursed, her hormonal whims always finding a way of getting her into trouble. She was giving Adrien a run for his money.

She glanced up at the blonde, pursing her lips as he appeared completely clueless as to what she had going on internally.

His green orbs flickered between objects with an absent mind as the car passed through the streets of paris to get the duo to their destination.

Marinette wasn't sure how long they had until they got there, but she had every intention to make do with what they had. She knew Adrien was almost always receptive to her ideas, and that was the many things she liked about him.

She was spoiled, both her and Louis were. Adrien made it a point to easily succumb to her exorbitant inclinations.

Granted they weren't too often, but Marinette often found herself indulging every once in awhile, even if it appeared quite impertinent at some points.

She made sure not to make it a habit, but she had to admit it was a perk.

The female gently placed her hand on to his, her fingers delicately lacing through his in a firm yet gentle grasp.

Adrien blinked, turning away from the window and glancing towards her at the sudden gesture. He leaned more so into her with a warm smile, assuming she was asking for comfort before the big show.

He'd often get nervous before his shows, and he was able to permeate great empathy for her.

Marinette appreciated the sweet reciprocation. He was such a kind and gentle man, she often found it hard to believe that she had his heart.

She kept her eyes, closed as she guided his hand to her lap.

Adrien, completely relaxed against her, complied without any hesitation. He hummed softly, allowing his bluenette to take the initiative.

Marinette hesitated, but only for a moment before she delicately guided his hand towards the inner thigh of her skirt.

Adrien furrowed his brow, his heart racing the moment he glanced up. His bodyguard was in the front seat!

He argued with himself, one side assured himself that she wouldn't initiate that kind of notion with their current company, and the other part scolded, making him grow suspicious that something was up.

Adrien pressed a soft kiss to her head, relaxing his hand on her thigh.

His thumb lightly brushed the soft skin on her leg.

Marinette breathed in softly, her hand carefully grabbing him by the wrist and droppinghis digits right between her legs right where she wanted it.

A deep blush arose on Adrien's cheeks as he simply found it harder and harder to deny her lately.

But he loved the rush, the passion and the closeness.

He loved every second of it.

Marinette climbed out of the car once they made their stop. She fixed the bun on her head and fixed her blouse. She looked back at Adrien who stepped beside her, his cheeks flush and his eyes wide.

The blunette looked up at him, lightly fixing his hair with a light laugh.

"What's wrong Adrien?" She asked, ignoring as the car drove away to find a new location to park. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Adrien looked down at her, his voice low as he leaned more so towards her.

"I just fingered you in the backseat of my bodyguards car...with him still in the car..." his eyes widened as they looked into hers. "What if he would have caught us? How would I explain that to my father?"

Marinette grinned, playfully rolling her eyes and slapping his shoulders.

"Oh come on, it was fun!" She teased. "I was really riveting, I can tell you liked it." She wiggled her brows playfully. She then reached up and cupped his face in her hands with a warm smile.

"I love you." She murmured softly

Adrien felt his heart nearly stop, and just like that, he was already putty.

"I-I love you too..." a deep blush covered his face, and the blunette planted a small kiss to his warm cheeks before she dropped her hands to grab his.

"Come on..." she smiled, lightly tugging him to follow her.

Adrien stumbled beside her, following her into the building. He immediately heard the large crowds and the music. He suddenly began to understand why Marinette seemed hesitant on showing up.

Despite being in many fashion shows, Adrien only participated because his dad made him. It wasn't exactly what he wanted to do, but at this moment it was all he knew how to do...besides being a dad.

The grip on Marinette's hand grew tighter, and she looked back at him, offering him a warm smile.

Adrien furrowed his brow as she faced away. Something about the glow in her face looked familiar, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Come to think of it, her attitude altogether seemed familiar. She had become a lot more demanding and in tune with her desires.

He was wrapped around her finger, ready to move to every beck and call

He couldn't help himself either.

He rolled his shoulders, his eyes glancing up at he noticed his comrades.

Alya and Nino stood beside each other, waving their hands at the duo before they all joined and went inside.

Marinette couldn't sit still or concentrate throughout the entire event. She had to admit that Luka looked great in her designs, but she was more focused on the fact that she had been awaiting a call from her doctor for a prenatal appointment. The bluenette bit her lip, tapping her fingers against her lap.

Alya looked over curiously at Marinette, lightly nudging her side.

"Did you spill the beans yet?" Alya whispered, keeping her voice low so the boys beside her couldn't hear it.

Marinette kept her eyes on the runway, watching the models walk as she tried not to fill Alya in on the honest truth.

She knew what she was going to say.

She was right, Adrien did deserve to know. Perhaps the day after, or a day where they didn't have sex and she was stressed out.

"I have to excuse myself." Marinette whispered, standing to her feet before she glanced over at Adrien who looked at her curiously.

She offered her friends a warm smile before she scooted from between the chairs and exited.

Alya watched her friend leave, lightly shaking her head before she began to watch the show.

Adrien pursed his lips, crossing his arms as Marinette exited to the lower level of the building.

Marinette could hear the loud music above her as she dug through the lockers for her purse. She sighed, looking through her phone as the thought of missing the show above never even crossed her mind.

Marinette looked at the comfirming message of her appointment in the next week.

She sighed, taking a deep breath.

This was it. After this confirmation she was going to share the news with Adrien, and start her family once more.

She chewed her lip, hoping that she wouldn't be showing by the time they had their wedding. She didn't want to think about all the looks she'd get wearing a wedding dress and sporting a huge baby bump.

Marinette shivered at the thought of having to go through the pregnancy all over again. The first one was hell. She had already started to experience the hellscape of hormones. She wasn't ready if she was able to do it a second time. With her workimg full time, taking care of Louis and being Ladybug, it seemed as though she had a lot on her plate.

"Marinette? Are you okay?" Tikki asked, her blue eyes looking at Marinette from within the locker. Tikki floated up to Marinette, nuzzling her cheek as she appeared to sense how uneasy Marinette was beginning to feel.

"Louis was one of the greatest things that's happened to you..." the kwami whispered. "You've made so many sacrifices and selfless choices to bring him into this world with love. You are the beauty that comes from a real mother who loves her child..."

Marinette listened to her kwamis words, a deep blush dusting over her cheeks at the thought of her child.

She really did love Louis, more than anything in this world.

"He's perfect..." Marinette murmured, her eyes glossing over in admiration of her baby. She dropped her hand, caressing her belly at the possible little one inside of her.

"They both are..."

Tikki smiled, nuzzling into Marinette before she hid behind her collar the way she always did.

Marinette took in a deep breath before she closed her locker.

Her heart skipped a few beats, her blood growing cold as she was greeted with a pair of glowing green eyes that waited for her in the dark.

Marinette struggled to find words as the figure took her by surprise.

She wasn't sure how much he had heard, but she had hoped it wasn't enough to be incriminating.

Chat Noir carefully stood out into the light, his arms crossed and his eyes locked on her.

Marinette didn't like the hard expression she had on his face, and she couldn't quite blame him. Even she had to admit she had been acting out of character lately, and if he had heard what her and Tikki were talking about, she knew he had to be livid.

"Care to explain to me what you're hiding?" Chat asked, perking a brow.

"Something's going on, Marinette..."

The bluenette gulped, her heart racing as she tucked some hair behind her ear. She shifted her weight uncomfortably.

"The only thing thats going on is you sneaking up on people." Marinette breathed. "I don't know what compelled Chat Noir to show up, but that's definitely going to draw attention if someone catches us down here." The bluentte glanced at him as she began to walk by him.

"I can't even think of the headlines and the controversy that's going to create..."

Her eyes widened and she gasped the moment Chat Noir lightly grabbed her hips and spun her around.

It was as if the air was knocked out of her and in an instant Chat Noir had her blocked against the wall.

His arms were out stretched from both sides of her, his palms pressed against the wall, keeping her locked there.

Marinette looked up at him, his face remaining firm.

He was pissed.

Marinette knew this was something she was going to have a hard time worming herself out of.

He wasn't going to leave without an answer, and if that meant being caught with Paris' beloved superhero and making headlines, then so be it.

The bluenette narrowed her eyes, trying to remain adamant.

"Don't be silly...I just...came down here to feed Tikki..." she explained.

She did feed Tikki, so it wasn't all a lie...

Chat glowered down at her, his eyes glowing with his frustration.

Marinette didn't like this Chat.

"I guess we'll be here all night, princess...someone's bound to come looking for us. Right?" He replied, keeping his hands pressed against the wall.

"Start talking..."

Marinette felt her face flush.

He wasn't playing fair. She could feel her heart pound into her chest.

She had been too obvious.

"You wouldn't..." Marinette challenged, her eyes narrowing at his.

Chat chuckled, finally a snide smile on his face as he seemed to know he had won.

"Try me..."

Marinette remained quiet, her brow furrowing.

He won.

She sighed.

"Fine...how about we discuss this over drinks...and with Adrien..."

She had to come up with something quick.

A/N: I edited a lot of romance and intimate parts out in fear of the backlash and harassment. Even the first scene makes me a little nervous because of the harassment but lets see how this goes. I'm sorry about the wait guys.

Thanks to everyone whose been here for me. I appreicate you all.

I hope this edited one was alright.


	13. Chapter 12

Short but cute unbeta'd chapter for you all.

Sorry for any grammatical errors.

"Did you really have to follow me all the way up here as Chat?

I thought we agreed I'd speak to Adrien." Marinette sighed as Chat placed her on her feet.

She made a note not to look down. The last thing she had hoped for tonight was to climb up on the roof of a several story high building just to talk.

"Yeah, so you can worm your way out after Adrien gets drunk?" Chat mused, shaking his head. "Not gonna happen." He jumped in front of her, the sunset contrasting against his very well known features, Marinette often found it hard to look away.

"I-but...what if someone sees us?" Marinette stammered, finally pulling her gaze away from the golden guy in the cat suit. She breathed in, scolding her hormones as they started to act up again.

She couldn't let her guard down, or he'd find out for sure.

"So? We can always come up with a story. At least we are in a less compromising position than last time..."

Marinette sighed and she slumped over. She knew it wasn't a good idea to hide things from him. She learned from the last time. The situation with Nathan turned out the way it did because she kept things from him.

Tikki and Alya were right...

She pressed her lips together, looking over at their city with glossy eyes as she began to contemplate.

"Are you suspicious of me because you don't trust me?" Marinette asked, turning over to look at Chat Noir with a grimace.

Chat paused, his brow furrowing before he looked at Marinette, taking in her appearance with a bit of hurt to his heart.

"No, it's not that..." he sighed, looking down at the lights below. The two of them remained silent, standing awkwardly by one another as Chat tried to formulate a proper sentence.

They've had their ups and downs, and they both had to admit that the hiccup between them regarding Nathan and the kidnapping of their son was the worst to burden.

At least so far.

"I just want us to communicate...we made a promise that we would..." Chat murmured, looking over to her. "We're supposed to be a team...we're exchanging vows...we have a child together, we need to start relying on one another. We can't keep things hidden from each other. That's not how marriage works."

Marinette frowned, looking up at him. Her heart felt heavy in her chest and she sighed.

"I...don't want to go through what we went through..." Marinette interjected, her heart aching at the memory of how he wouldn't even look at her or touch her or acknowlege her.

"We were in a bad place...because I chose to be vague...to both you and Nathan. It cost us the safety of our son, and the trust that both you and Nathan had for me..." Marinette reached up to rub her chest, almost as if she was desperate to soothe some ache in her chest.

"You didn't even look at me...let alone remained in the same room with me... I couldn't touch you, talk to you...even lay with you..." her eyes drifted lower at the dark memory. "It was as if you had become unreachable, damaged by my own doing..." her voice trailed off.

"I don't want to do that to us again...to hurt you...and lead you away hurts me more than you could possibly imagine.

Chat frowned, without hesitation he approached the petitte bluenette, placing his claws straight at her waist and tugging her close.

"Marinette..." he whispered, resting his forehead against hers and closing his eyes. "I see you now..." he slowly opened his eyes to look into hers. "You're here...we're both here and we are okay. I won't leave your side no matter what you have to tell me..." the hero assured, a sour feeling in his stomach as he knew she had something to say, but he didn't have the slightest idea what.

Marinette blushed, her heart fluttering in her chest as she reached up and cupped his cheeks. Her thumbs lightly brushed over the smooth material of his mask. She closed her eyes, the glow of his eyes slightly permeating through her eyelids.

For the first time in quite awhile, Marinette felt at ease. She was at peace with his assurance and Marinette knew she needed to tell him.

"N-Now don't get too touchy with me..." She teased, lightly pulling away. "I'm a married woman...well, almost married. To Adrien Agreste that is..." she chuckled. "I can't be seen by myself with you on the night of an event where people everywhere are watching."

Chat chuckled, his hands snaking around her waist and pulling her closer again.

"Aw c'mon. I thought you liked your kitty." He teased, a small smile on his face. "Louis likes when I dress like this...in fact, I should see him more often dressed like this!"

Marinette furrowed her brow, nudging him once more. "More like you'll be in a body bag if you don't get your hands off of me. If I end up on the front cover of a magazine with another misleading title to sell, I will literally kill you."

She was only half joking.

Chat frowned, lightly pulling away as his gaze began to drift off with such a sadness it immediately made Marinette recoil into him again.

"You...don't have cold feet, do you?" Chat asked, looking down at her again.

Marinette widened her eyes, her lips parting slightly. The sounds of his words rang like whistles in her ears, she wasn't quite sure if she was hearing correctly.

"W-What?" She asked, blinking.

Chat sighed, pulling away to run his hand through his hair.

"I-I mean...do you really want to marry me?" He asked, tugging at his hair. "Is that why you're acting strange? One minute you want to be around me, another minute you're pushing me away. You draw me back into you, and I don't know if its because you're feeling guilty or confused..." he turned away from her, pacing as he tried not to panic. "I know the media can become too much...I worry that my last name puts too much pressure on you..." his face started to grow pink. He tried his best not to cry.

"Please..." his voice cracked as he turned to face her. "Don't leave me in the dark anymore..."

Marinette was stunned. She was completely engulfed with guilt.

The last thing she wanted was for him to blame himself for her being pregnant. Most importantly, she realized the damage she was doing by keeping things to herself.

She was destroying him.

She immediately reached out, taking his hand into hers.

"Sweetheart...I've wanted to marry you since I was fourteen..." she chuckled, her cheeks flushing at the remembrance of her younger self promising a pet hamster with him.

"Things went a different way...and we ended up with Louis a lot earlier than we could have expected...but I couldn't have wanted it any other way. I got to know the real you and fall in love with you all over again..." she whispered, her other hand cupping his cheek once more. "You've been with me through so much... we made a child together and in the few years I've known you, I've never been happier in my life..." she moved closer to him.

"I want to marry you...that won't ever change..." her thumb brushed against his cheek softly.

"I promise..."

Chat gazed into her eyes, he was able to fight the tears that threatened to ebb from his eyes.

"I...I just..." he breathed, reaching up to grab her hand from his face. "I don't want us to drift apart again..." he admitted sheepishly.

Marinette shook her head.

"We won't..." she assured, her fingers lacing around his. The girl chewed her lip, watching as Chat brought her hands to his lips and pressed soft kisses to her skin.

This was the last time she was going to break him and lead him astray.

She had finally learned her lesson.

"Chat-" she began, pulling him from his kissable trance to her wrists.

He looked up at her, his attention completely on her.

"Do...you remember that night when you and Nino were out...and Alya and I stayed behind to work on the project I had to finish?" She asked, her voice trembling as she shifted her weight.

Chat glanced at her, his brow furrowing and he nodded hesitantly.

"Yes...?" His voice mused. He flinched slightly, preparing himself for the worst.

Marinette sighed. She looked down at his claws and she lightly began to toy with his fingers.

"Alya...thought she was pregnant...and so we got these cheap pregnancy tests from the store. I thought I'd take one with her just for kicks..." she looked up at him, trying to read his expression as Chat seemed to almost miss the situation.

"One of the tests came up positive, and it wasn't Alya's" Marinette finished, her heart racing erratically against her chest.

Chat froze, his heart feeling like it had wanted to jump out of his throat.

Marinette glanced up at him, watching as the gears turned in his head and eventually clicked.

"Wait..." Chat shook his head. "So...your test came up positive?" He asked, reaching up to rub his temples.

Marinette blushed and she cleared her throat. "I...um...made an appointment with my doctor... but I think I'm pregnant..." she clenched her teeth, her mouth feeling dry.

Chat stared off into the distance, taking the news in. In his mind, he kept going back to the times they made love. He repeated the scenarios over and over inside of his head, trying to date back to when they conceived.

"Marinette...I...finished inside of you earlier today..." he looked up at her again. "You...let me finish..." his breath got caught in his throat.

Marinette blushed deeply. She had already knew he did so, but hearing it out loud was totally flustering.

"Y-yes...I know." She replied bashfully. "I...just figured it was okay because I was already testing positive. My hormones...made me crazy and I let you finish..." she rocked on her feet. "The first night...when I met you out of the shower...the day I started my job. I think we conceived then..."

Chat chuckled, his hands tugging at his hair as it all made sense.

Every single light in his brain began to click. It was finally setting in.

"I knew you were acting strange." He pointed at her. "I knew this was familiar." He chuckled. He really didn't mind the hormones.

Hell, he was going to be a father again.

That was the best news he had heard all day.

"Y-You're not mad, are you?" Marinette asked, a concerned expression on her face as Chat seemed to be internally screaming.

She gasped at the sudden embrace he had pulled her in. His body trembled against her, and Marinette immediately returned the embrace.

Chat pulled back, his eyes glossy and his cheeks red.

"Marinette...we're going to be parents again!"

The bluenette smiled, without giving it a second though she leaned up and captured his lips in a soft and gentle kiss.

His reaction went way better than she thought or could have hoped for.

She knew she would never keep anything from him again.


	14. Chapter 13

A/N: A hot mess.

Unbeta'd. I apologize for any grammatical errors

"Get dunked on!" Alya exclaimed, slamming her hands on the cafe table.

"All of you! Twenty gwap right now!" She jutted her finger towards Nino, and Marinette.

Adrien glanced up at the female, completely dumbfounded. He quite enjoyed when the gang joined him on his lunch break.

It was nice to have familiar faces to see when he was constantly having to dodge Lilas advances.

He shook his head as Alya did a little dance, grabbing the bills Marinette and Nino slapped on to the table.

On second thought, perhaps some alone time would have been nice as well.

"Whats that about?" Adrien asked, eying his friends as Alya folded the bills and slipped them into her back pocket.

"I bet that Marinette wouldn't tell to Nino, and I bet to Marinette that you'd react well to it." Alya chuckled, shaking her hips in another victory dance

Marinette rolled her eyes, cracking a small smile. Nino nudged Adrien who flailed his arms and looked at his friends.

"You made bets at my expense? You guys are probably the worst friends I've ever had." Adrien retorted, scooting his chair away from Nino as Nino wrapped his arms around him.

"No, we love you!" Nino protested, pressing a kiss to Adrien's cheek to which he playfully batted him away.

"At your expense..." Marinette pouted, looking at her fiance. "I'm the one that's pregnant."

Nino turned to look at her.

"He doesn't get it. So disrespectful, right?" Nino chimed, immediately pushing Adrien away and clinging on to Marinette.

Alya snorted, raising her phone up to snap a photo of the two.

Nino obnoxiously smiled for the photo, which Adrien photobombed.

Marinette yawned. She still had a full day of work to complete. She had to admit she was a little jealous that Adrien got to leave shortly after, but aside from her not getting sleep lately, her life seemed pretty rewarding.

"I'm gonna grab some more tea" the blunette yawned once more, shrugging out of Nino's and Adrien's grip.

"I'll be back..."

Nino slipped his hand off her shoulder and allowed Marinette to excuse herself.

"Are we hoping for a girl this time?" Alya interjected, looking at both of the boys across from her. "I think it'll be cute for Louis to have a baby sister."

Adrien smiled at the thought.

To have a little princess who looked just like his queen. He'd adore his Mini Marinette as much as he adored his mini self. Louis was almost a spitting image of himself, and not to make himself feel anymore narcissistic, he did feel within the deepest parts of him that he and Marinette did a great job on him.

Adrien shrugged.

"It sounds like a good idea... but its not up to me. Whatever happens, happens. Regardless of the gender I'm grateful for a healthy wife and a healthy baby."

Alya glanced over at Nino with a small smile. The girl blushed, she was truly happy for her friend and wished that perhaps, she'd be the one sharing this kind of news with her friends someday

"Technically it is up to you-" Nino interjected, looking at Adrien.

Adrien furrowed his brow. "What?"

"The baby's gender..." Nino clarified. "Technically the female already holds the x chromosome. What ever chromosome the male releases is what determines the gender of the baby. The chromosome is determined the moment the cells are released and received. So your argument is invalid."

Adrien and Alya both glared at Nino blankly.

"Thanks for the science lesson." Adrien deadpanned, throwing his napkin at him.

Alya giggled, shaking her head.

"I think that was probably one of the worst burns ever."

Nino threw his hands up.

"Aw c'mon! I thought it was ironic-" Nino sighed, defending his satirical joke.

"Honey that was awful." Alya cooed, teasing him.

Marinette heard her friends giggling from behind her. A warm smile spread across her face as she began to pour her tea. She was so sleepy.

Marinette was almost too excited to go home.

Marinette hummed, feeling eluded as the day was close to a conclusion. She wanted to go home and cuddle Adrien.

"So...I hear you're pregnant..." a voice emanated, pulling Marinette out of the trance. Her stomach fell to her knees at the sight of a familiar pair of hazel eyes.

Lila smiled at Marinette, reaching for a cup. "I hope you don't mind that I overheard..."

Marinette pressed her lips together, suddenly feeling insignificant and small.

"Oh...uh, pardon our noise..." Marinette replied bashfully. "We don't usually get to catch up like this..."

Lila hummed, turning over to smile at her once more. "Oh, its fine really." She assured, pouring coffee into the cup. "I think its adorable that Adrien is stepping up to be a father to your kids."

Lila blew on to the liquid in her cup before she placed the lid on.

"So is this another one of Nathan's? Or did you and Luka get a bit too friendly." She rasped, turning over and leaning against the table. "Either way, I'm sure they are beautiful kids."

Marinette froze.

If she didn't think it was possible for her to feel any smaller than she did, she was wrong.

Marinette felt a sour taste in her mouth as Lila's words sunk in. She didn't think someone could be so mean.

The bluenette furrowed her brow, nearly dropping her teabag into her hot water.

"E-Excuse me?" Marinette asked, looking up at Lila with a flush of embarassment.

"Oh you know what I'm talking about." Lila teased, gazing over at the table where Adrien sat. "Everyone knows you and Nathan were a thing then. People have seen you together at parties, getting close and comfortable. Speculation states that your oldest actually belongs to him.

Marinette clenched her fists, grinding her teeth.

"I...was pregnant before me and Nathan even officially became friends..." Marinette murmured, hating herself for giving Lila the time of day to explain it.

Lila pursed her lips and shrugged.

"Mmmm...I guess rumors are rumours...you know how things are..." Lila piped, taking another sip of her coffee. "Someone sees something, or take a photo and when its leaked...its leaked. People push their own narratives. Isn't that a shame?" Her hazel eyes glanced over to Marinette menacingly.

"Like...certain magazine industries...its awful isn't it." A small smile crept on to her face.

Marinette frowned, looking down into her drink as if she just wanted to dissapear. She wanted to curl into herself. Lila just had this natural aura to manipulate people.

"That was you...wasn't it?" Marinette asked, her voice low and shaking. "Who leaked that photo to the tabloids..."

Lila blinked, offering Marinette another smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Oh no Marinette." She piped. "I'd never..." she bit her lip, her eyes glancing back up to the back of Adrien's head.

"I mean...if people start saying that you have affairs with your male models behind Adrien's back thats their own narrative...not mine. It might look bad on your unborn child...so perhaps you should talk to Luka..."

Marinette widened her eyes.

Immediately she felt as if her blood went completely cold.

"W-Wait..." Marinette nearly dropped her cup, her heart racing and her mouth going dry.

"An affair? With Luka? Don't tell me you-"

"I would never...your secret is safe with me." Lila interjected, winking at the flustered bluenette.

Marinette furrowed her brow.

"Secret? Lila, I'm not having an affair. The baby I'm carrying is Adrien's..."

Lila rolled her eyes and turned over. She placed her cup back down on the table and glared at Marinette.

"Face it sweetheart... that last name is too much for you. Everywhere you turn, there will be cameras and people criticizing you. Every corner someone will say something, and at every news outlet your private life will be on every front cover for anyone to see."

Marinette looked down, taking a few steps back.

"I-I know...b-but-"

"But what would Gabriel think?" Lila asked, her voice sharp as she cut Marinette off. "Do you really think he'd appreciate his son's reject of a wife making a public debacles out of his name and his label?"

Marinette widened her eyes, Lila's words taken to heart.

She had always had a bit of a worry regarding Gabriel's acceptance and his views of how she would carry on their last name as it did come attached to a whole slew of responsibilities.

"R-reject?" Marinette asked, her frown deepening.

Lila shook her head, continuing.

"That's right... do you really think Gabriel will accept you? Imagine all the stress you're putting on Adrien..." Lila sighed, crossing her arms.

"How can you be so selfish?"

Marinette nearly wanted to cry. Her hormones made her completely subjective to Lila's manipulation, but Marinette rejected the urge.

She wasn't going to cry in front of Lila.

"You know you're small..." a voice emanated from behind Marinette, startling both girls.

"And annoying too..." Nino spoke, standing up behind Marinette. "I thought you were busy...don't you have makeup to play with?"

Marinette immediately looked down, unable to feel any better even as Nino placed a hand on her shoulder.

Lila rolled her eyes, ignoring the snide comments from Nino as she was used it by now.

"Actually...Marinette and I were having a conversation. You'd never understand." She sighed, fiddling with the lid on her cup.

"But you're right..." she sighed. "I do have to get my makeup done. Adrien and I are doing another photoshoot together..." she smiled, glancing back at Marinette.

Marinette looked up at Lila, her eyes solemn.

"See ya." She grinned, flipping her hair and walking away.

Marinette looked down at her cup, she definitely didn't want her tea anymore.

"Marinette, are you okay?" Nino asked, ducking down to meet her eye level.

Marinette nodded, feeling tired but for a whole new set of reasons.

"Yeah, I'm okay. She just came to stare at Adrien anyway..." she slumped forward, not caring to repeat the words Lila had swimming in her head.

She swore she was going to cry. She was tired of trying to be tough.

"Are you sure?" Nino asked, lightly rubbing her shoulder. "You know you can tell me anything..."

Marinette grabbed her cup and she nodded.

"I'm sure...thanks Nino..." Marinette sighed. She placed her hand in her pocket, desperate to feel comfort as Tikki rubbed her head into her palm.

"We should get back before Adrien has to go..." Marinette murmured, brushing past Nino to return to the table.

Nino watched the blunette return to the table and take a seat beside Alya with a grimace.

With a shake of his head, Nino began to stride back to the table.

He sat beside Adrien, keeping his eyes on Marinette who seemed to have trouble focusing on the conversation Alya had started up for them.

"She seems bummed." Nino whispered, nudging Adrien to grab his attention.

Adrien looked over to Nino and then at Marinette.

"Marinette?" He asked furrowing his brow. "Why? What happened?"

Nino shook his head.

"I'm not sure...but I walked in on her talking to Lila. Now she looks like she's got a lot going on. You think she did something?"

Adrien sighed, looking over at Marinette, his heart aching at seeing her in such a way.

"When it comes to Lila, I'm not surprised by anything. She's called a volture for a reason..."

Nino chuckled, rubbing his chin.

"You should probably talk to her...not here but in the privacy of your own home..." he sat up slightly to look around. "The walls have ears in this place..."

Adrien nodded, watching Marinette as he began to feel super protective of her and their unborn child. He wanted to swaddle Marinette in a nest and keep her away from the world.

But, thinking realistically, he just wanted to make it up to her and try to help her, build her and support her the best way he can.

"You're not wrong..." Adrien responded.

"I do have to talk to her, and I have an idea to help her cheer up..."


	15. Chapter 14

Needed some Luka and Mari time.

Unbeta'd sorry for any grammatical errors.

"A reject? She really said that?"

Luka asked, taking a seat beside Marinette's desk.

"Seems a little...bold. Don't you think?" He asked, reaching into his lunch bag to pull out an orange.

Marinette sighed, her eyes glancing down at the Orange as he began to peel with his thumbs.

"Yep...straight from the hip." The blunette stood up and crossed her arms. She leaned against her desk, staring out into the window.

"She didn't even sugarcoat it..." she blinked, looking over to Luka with a grimace. "And I thought Chloe was mean...at least you expect it from her."

Luka nodded, opening his orange to pick at the pieces in the inside.

"She said Louis was Nathan's...Louis looks exactly like Adrien for Christ's sake. Blonde hair and everything." Marinette chewed her bottom lip. "As if I fuck every guy I hang out with..."

Luka shook his head, popping an orange slice in his mouth.

"Her name is Lila for a reason. Literally says she's a liar in her name. She's a master of manipulation. Everyone knows that."

Marinette looked away, her eyes glaring down into the floor. Her stomach felt heavy and turned. She couldn't tell if it was because of anxiety or pregnancy, but she really wanted to puke.

"The tabloids don't know that..."

Luka paused, looking up at Marinette as she muttered under her breath.

His brow furrowed and he carefully unfolded his legs.

"Tabloids? What do you mean by that?" He questioned, perking a brow.

Marinette sighed, closing her eyes as her head throbbed. Her feet had started to throb too.

"I'm saying...that she is the one leaking those stories to the tabloids." She opened her eyes, looking at Luka again. "And they aren't always true. She threatened me, told me that if the papers somehow caught wind that I was pregnant, she would tell them it's yours."

Her heart raced at the thought.

She didn't want to think about how much of a hassle it was for Adrien and his father.

Adrien's father ran a business, a very successful one, the last thing she wanted was to ruin that.

Her words left Luka completely flabbergasted, his mouth was left agape.

"Marinette...I don't recall ever being intimate with you..." he breathed, his face flushed at the statement, attempting to brush it off. "We dated when we were what...? Fourteen?" His brow furrowed, before he looked down and began to pick at the fruit he held in his hands once more. "I didn't even know what sex was."

Marinette reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose.

"The media doesn't know that..."

Luka shook his head in disbelief.

"And what about the pregnancy? Is that something she made up too?" He asked, placing his peels to the bin beside him.

Marinette felt her stomach drop.

In a few months she was going to grow bigger and bigger.

"No...She overheard me talking about it..." Marinette whined, leaping away from her desk and pacing back and forth.

Luka paused, his hands dropped the slices of oranges on to his lap before he quickly picked them back up.

"Wait...you're pregnant?" He asked, furrowing his brow.

Marinette reached up to grip her hair. She breathed softly as she softly tugged at it, anxiety sweeping over her in large increments.

"Yes...and in a few months I'm going to get bigger and bigger. The tabloids will go insane with the photos, and it the time of pregnancy will line up perfectly with Lila's fake story. Everyone will think that I had an affair with you and the child belongs to you. It'll cause so much controversy, I could ruin Gabriel's business, ruin Adrien's reputation..." she bit her lip as she fought back tears. "Lila was right...all I do is cause problems..." she began to dig her palms into her eyes. "I don't know why Adrien picked me. I'm not good enough, and I am going to be the reject."

Luka blinked, his mouth agape as he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Okay..." he uttered quickly, placing his food to the side, and standing up.

"First off...congratulations on the new baby. Second off, you should not let Lila make you subjectable to her manipulation. You're a smart girl, you are also pregnant, and you don't need anymore of this extra stress." He reached over and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Adrien didn't just choose anyone. He chose you. Some people like Lila are stingy and want that for themselves. If Adrien didn't want to be with you or didn't think you were enough, he wouldn't have put that ring on your fingers..." Luka reached under her chin, making the blunette looked him in the eyes.

"I spoke to him a few days ago...before I had that tender moment with Nino." He chuckled.

Marinette managed to crack a smile.

"You and Nino did have a broment..." she sniffled, looking back up at him.

Luka smile, slowly pulling away.

"Adrien is genuine about you. I think you're more than enough. I feel he sees it the same way..."

Luka kept a small smile on his face in hopes to keep her spirits enlightened.

"You can't keep doubting yourself Mari. Thats what Lila wants, it's why she told you what she did. Plus...thats blackmail. I'm pretty sure that's illegal."

He gently booped her nose and then he let her go, returning to where he had placed his lunch.

"The day is almost over...lets just stick it out, don't worry to much about Lila, and then go home and relax. This much stress and anxiety can't be good for the baby..." he pursed his lips and looked up at her.

Marinette shrugged, reaching over to twirl the earrings in her ear with a grimace.

"I-I guess..."

She sighed. She listened to Luka's words, she knew he was right.

But Lila had this way of getting under her skin...

Her words repeated in her mind, over and over again

And she did have to face truth. The lie was that words would never hurt her

But they had hurt...


	16. Chapter 15

Short chapter of Adrienette that no one asked for.

Unbeta'd, sorry for any grammatical errors.

Marinette had trouble staying awake on the car ride home.

She tried to let Luka's words swim in her head. She wanted to believe them, she really did. She couldn't tell if it was the pregnancy hormones, but she had felt so emotional and insecure lately. The bluenette scrolled through her phone, a small smile on her sleepy face as she scrolled through the photos Adrien had sent her of their son throughout the day.

Marinette could hear Tikki giggle beside her.

"I guess it was father and son day." Marinette whispered to her friend.

"It looks like they had fun..."

It was getting late, Marinette already had the feeling that Louis was already down for sleep. She rubbed her eyes, locking her phone as she imagined that she'd get home, have a little snack to eat and then go lay down. Her back was aching, her feet were swollen and her heart was swelled with worry.

She stretched as the car pulled up to the front of her home. She climbed out, turning to Adrien's bodyguard and thanked him before she turned and dug through her purse for her keys.

Hearing the car pull away from behind them, Tikki poked her head up as she made her way to the front door.

"Do you think they left a mess in there? You did leave those two alone for almost the whole day." Tikki teased as Marinette looped her keys in her hand.

She sighed, shaking her head.

"When I do think about Chat, he is kind of like a huge child. If those two left a mess in there, they'd be the ones cleaning it." Marinette retorted. "Then I'd make myself a bagel sandwhich with some cream cheese and watch."

Tikki giggled at her response.

"Will you use your face as a butterknife again?" The kwami teased. "I seem to remember it was really efficient the last time."

Marinette rolled her eyes at her kwamis teasing and she stuck the key in the door.

"I could if I wanted to. I was a eighteen and I was nine months pregnant. I was a mess!" She defended opening the door.

Tikki was about to reply, but was soon quiet as she noticed the home was not only spotless, but dim as well.

Marinette froze, seeing candles lit from every corner.

Adrien and Louis was no where in site, but at her feet she spotted rose petals.

"When did he do this?" Tikki asked, noticing that the petals where trailed to a certain location in the house. "Is his romantic Chat coming through?" She asked, knowing that she'd have to fly off somewhere to give them alone time.

"I...I don't know..." Marinette breathed, her heart racing at the gesture. Marinette stepped inside, closing the door behind her and placing her keys on the hook next to the door.

She pressed her lips together, watching as Tikki quickly nuzzled her for good luck and then leaving.

Marinette glanced at the small candles lit, and she walked by them slowly, following the petal trail.

The trail led her into the bathroom where she was greeted by a warm bubble bath drawn for her.

Candles lit each side of the tub, and as Marinette dipped her fingertips inside, the water was very warm and cozy.

Marinette couldn't remember a single time anyone had ever drawn a bath for her. It felt like a special sentiment to her heart.

Was it their anniversary? Was it a birthday? Her pregnancy?

He couldnt just do this out of the blue, there had to be a reason.

"Welcome home." A voice emanated softly from behind her.

Marinette turned and was greeted by her love who stood in the doorway.

Adrien smiled at her and approached her, pressing a soft and gentle kiss to her lips.

Marinette lightly pulled back, examining him with a playful smile.

"Is there an occasion I'm missing?" She asked, perking a brow. "Is it the pregnancy?"

Adrien lightly grabbed her waist, pulling her close and shaking his head.

"Nope..." he murmured, pressing a kiss to her lips again. "We're getting married, I thought I'd start treating you like my Queen from now on. You're no longer my purincess."

Marinette snorted against his lips and she lightly wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I guess I'll miss the nicknames..." she chuckled, sealing her lips against his.

Adrien smiled against the kiss, giving her small pecks here and there before pulling away.

"I can give you some privacy to enjoy your bath. I don't want the water to get cold."

Marinette shook her head. She shrugged her blazer off her shoulders and immediately began to unbotton her blouse.

"It's okay..." she blushed deeply, glancing up at him as he was blushing as well. "We're a team..."

Adrien chuckled at her statement. He remembered the many times she had said that before.

"I'm not exactly sure that this is what teams do...but in a manner of speaking we are partners throughout everything." He grinned, grabbing her hand once she was finished undressing and helped her into the tub.

Marinette bit her lip as she submerged herself into the water. She leaned into the tub, the throbbing in her back immediately ceasing.

She almost wanted to sleep in the warm water.

"Well...marriage is a partnership." She hummed, watching as Adrien sat beside the tub and began to push the bubbles towards her chest.

Marinette turned her head to look at Adrien. "This was a nice gesture..."she breathed. "I think this will have to take some getting used to." She pursed her lips again.

Adrien glanced up at her, a small blush on his cheeks as he pressed his face against the tub.

"You deserve nice things Marinette. You're worth being nice to...You're very valuable to me."

Marinette immediately coiled into herself. She knew it wasn't exactly necessary, but she couldn't help to think about what Lila had said.

A reject...

Adrien glanced up at her, a grimace forming on his face the moment he noticed Marinette's expression.

He couldn't tell what she was thinking, but he had a feeling that it had something to do with what Nino mentioned early.

He wasn't there when she had been left with Lila, but he can tell that the conversation wasn't nice.

"What are you thinking about?" Adrien asked, his voice soft as he played with the water underneath the bubbles.

Marinette hummed, blinking as she hadn't noticed he was looking at her.

"Uh...nothing, I guess..." she began to rub some water on to her face.

Adrien scooted a little closer.

"Marinette..." he pressed. "Remember what we talked about? How we need to talk to each other?"

Marinette chuckled, looking over to him. "And if I don't? You'll turn into serious scary Chat Noir again? Adult Chat is too serious. Boyish Chat is fun." She teased.

Adrien smiled, trying to tune into her attempt to lighten things up.

"Well...twenty one may seem young to some people, but we've got to grow up some time." Adrien replied.

"Like...how we shouldn't try and change a subject when trying to touch base on something serious..."

Marinette immediately recoiled into herself and she glanced down at the water.

"Marinette, you're starting to worry me again..." Adrien conceded, drawing the bubbles in with his fingertips. "If there's something I can do for you, I want to help."

Marinette looked up at him, her cheeks flushing.

Marinette felt the words bubbling to her lips. She was at war with herself, part of her wanted to just splurt everything out, the other part felt embarassed to talk about it. She knew she had made a promise not to keep anything from him.

"It's just..." the bluenette sighed. "I-...You-" she bit her lip, unable to come up with the right words to say.

Adrien reached under the water, grabbing her hand and squeezing it with reassurance.

"I...worry that...maybe I'm some sort of...you know...nuisance...or an embarassment..." Marinette conceded, pressing her lips together.

"A-...A reject..."

Adrien furrowed his brow, a face of the utmost disgust. It was as if he words pierced holes in his heart until it sank all the way into his stomach and left a sour taste in the back of his mouth.

The sharp words and the self deprecation was truly awful. It hurt more to know she felt that way, and it made him sick to know that she was fed that.

He didn't have to be told.

Being around Lila for as much as he was, working with her and seeing how she was, he just knew.

"Is that what Lila told you?" Adrien asked, his voice sharper than he had intended.

Marinette frowned, her hand squeezing his in return.

"I know...I just...I know its dumb. It's just...I already worried that I was...not good enough-"

"Marinette, you are more than enough..." Adrien cut her off. "I wouldn't have chosen you to be my wife if I wasn't so sure. Lila, my dad and even our friends don't know you like I do. You have grown so much as a woman, as a mother and as a hero..." Adrien let go of her hand and reached up to caress her face.

Marinette gasped lightly, blushing under his caress and she leaned into him, her heart aching.

"Its...just been getting under my skin. For me it doesn't make sense. You had so many to choose from. Why did you chose me? Wasn't it Ladybug you fell in love with?" Marinette replied, her voice shaking. "You had a variety, even Kagami would have been a better choice, at least your dad liked her."

Adrien shook his head, he almost wanted to cry.

"I feel in love with the girl behind the mask. It just took a little longer for me to see it." Adrien moved closer, pressing a small kiss to her lips.

"You acted strange around me, you dropped everything, you mixed up your words..." his thumbs caressed over her cheeks.

"I didn't realise it was because you liked me, I just saw it as a personality difference. I was dense, I didn't think you had a reason... I regret that I went this long without seeing it. But the moment I found out that it was you... I can't describe how happy I was. Out of everyone, I was so happy it was you. You were gentle, you were caring and you were always thinking and helping others. That's what my mother was to me and this is what you are to our son. I'm glad you are the mother of my child." Adrien pressed another kiss to his lips.

Marinette breathed out, her heart feeling like it was being tugged on.

She knew Luka had said Adrien was genuine, and she had let her insecurities get the best of her.

She was both sad and happy. She was happy because he had expressed everything he felt about her. It was like he was able to soothe her soul.

But she was sad.

Sad that she allowed her insecurities get the best of her. She shouldn't have questioned his feelings for her and she shouldn't have listened to Lila. She couldn't imagine how painful it was for him to have to explain himself.

"A-Adrien..." she whimpered, tears spilling down her face as she leaned into him. She pressed her lips to his and she pulled away, sniffling.

"I love you-" she murmured just as Adrien captured her lips once more.

Their lips moved against one another in a passionate kiss. Adrien kept his hand on her face, tugging their mouths closer.

Marinette reached up and began to lightly tug at his hair. Her heart pounded against her chest, and as her hand rested on his chest, she could feel that his heart was pounding as well

Adrien whimpered in protest as his love pulled away to catch her breath. He began to leave small kisses to the edge of her lips.

Marinette smiled, breathing in as she turned her head and brushed her lips on his once more.

"Come join me." She smiled, her hand lightly pinching at his shirt. The blunette scooted over in the tub, making room for the both of them.

Adrien grinned, biting his bottom lip with thought.

"Is this what my Queen wants?" He asked, perking a brow.

Marinette giggled, scooping up suds of bubbles and booped it on his nose .

"Its a royal command. The Queen demands her king joins her in the court...bathtub...thing!" Marinette giggled, scrunching up her freckled nose.

Adrien chuckled, reaching down to grip his shirt and pulling it off.

"Well, then how can I refuse?" He winked, standing up to undo his pants.

Marinette looked away, feeling too bashful to watch him undress. She had seen him naked before, but despite the many times they were intimate, she often found herself dizzy and still a klutz around him.

Adrien climbed into the tub with her.

Marinette barely had any time to register he was with her when he grabbed her hips and hoisted her on his lap.

The female gasped, blushing deeply as she leaned into him. He was just more warmth to the warm water. She could just fall asleep right there.

His hand slipped under her hand beneath the water.

Marinette watched as he brought their hands to the surface. She smiled, glancing at how her hand fit perfectly in his. Her ring glistened against the candle light and she nuzzled into him, humming as his thumb caressed her hand.

The two sat in silence, the blunette continuing to blush as he began to wash her legs and arms with the wash cloth.

Marinette gasped as he began to wash between her legs. His hands gently running up her thighs.

"I-Is Louis asleep?" Marinette asked, playing with the bubbles nonchalantly on the surface of the water.

Adrien paused, pressing his face on to her cheek.

"Why? You have something you want to do in mind?" He asked, pressing small kisses to her cheeks.

Marinette shrugged, smudging the bubbles on his hand before she grabbed it and pressed small kisses to the back of his hand.

"I might..." she grinned, turning back to look at him. "Shall we go to bed?"


	17. Chapter 16

Unbeta'd. Sorry for any grammatical errors.

Pls don't hate me

Adrien groaned in his sleep.

He felt entirely too warm. The bed sheets scrunched at his hips, and it was only then that Adrien remembered he was completely naked underneath.

Worried that Louis could have stumbled in some time during the night, he gripped on to the bedding and hoisted it up past his hips. He blindly reached for his love, searching the space beside him eagerly. His heart sank and a small frown grace his lips as the bedside turned up empty. He lifted his head from the pillow, squinting in the sunlight.

The sun rays were warm against his back, and from the looks of it, Louis was still asleep.

The model sat up and ran his hand through his hair, yawning.

Adrien assumed Plagg was in Louis' room, evading he and Marinette's intimate moment the night before. She glanced over at the pillow, flopping down on it as he couldn't be bothered with getting up. He had a few photoshoots to attend to, and Adrien was dreading it.

He was tired of dealing with Lila. He had to tell her off many times before, but it appeared that all of it was in vain.

She never stopped. Nothing he did got her to stop. It got to the point where he just didn't want to attend work.

It was poor pay considering what he had to go through.

The blonde furrowed his brow, feeling a paper like texture underneath his cheek. He pulled back, squinting at a note that was left on the pillow Marinette had been on the night before.

"Out to the doctor's.

Can't wait to confirm our little one. I'll be back in time for dinner.

Love you. ❤

Marinette "

Adrien glared at the note. He subtly rolled his eyes. He hated how their schedules began to conflict lately. That was an appointment he wanted to be there for.

He couldn't be there for Louis' appointment. He was kept a secret Adrien didn't even know Louis existed until it was nearly time for him to be brought into this world.

He needed this time to be different. He wanted to be there for every single appointment. He wanted to see the first ultrasound, the first heartbeat, the first everything.

It ached his heart to know he missed all of that when it came to Louis, but he knew he'd be there for all his firsts after that.

He was going to be a be a better father than his own.

Adrien climbed out of bed, keeping his sheet tied around his waist as he dug for some clothes.

He had enough time to get dressed, bathe Louis and perhaps enjoy a nice bonding breakfast with his son.

He had a bit of an off feeling about work, but he brushed it aside, not wanting to focus on that, but to focus on caring for his wife and his son.

He missed her.

He missed her terribly. He wondered why he was so attached all of the sudden. He knew she was more than likely pregnant, and he was definitely attached to the idea of them having another child.

He was also marrying her, and quite protective of her and her feelings. Something in his gut only told him that he felt so antsy because he really didn't want to be at work.

He enjoyed modeling to an extent, but he was older, he had an actual family that he felt warm and welcomed to. He was growing interested in other things. With the nuisance of Lila hovering about and around, it made the job sour and quite monotonous.

Anywhere would have been better than where he was.

Adrien leaned into his seat, wincing as the hair stylist tugged and teased at his hair. He glanced down, frowning as Marinette had returned home and picked up their son from her parents along the way.

Marinette had a couple of days off, and his stomach flipped with envy. He would have given anything to be with her and their son. Adrien smiled, his eyes closing as he went through his schedule for the upcoming days.

He was sure that if he asked his father for a couple of days off, he could do something together with his family at home. He wanted nothing more than to spoil his son and fiance completely rotten.

They all deserved that. Perhaps a vacation to an island somewhere. They could all run away, and eat until they were fat and perhaps they can adopt that hamster they both always wanted.

Adrien knew Marinette had a dress fitting the morning after. He had work in the morning for a few hours, perhaps if he rushed home he could spend the rest of the day with her.

It was bad luck to see the bride in her dress before the wedding, but she was Ladybug. She was anything but bad luck.

Adrien felt his heart flutter as for the first time in a long time, he felt genuinely happy.

He scrunched his face slightly at thr sensation of a makeup brush passing across his cheek. The model relaxed into his seat until he felt something warm against his hand.

His eyes opened to meet with a pair of darker green eyes.

His brow furrowed as Lila had his hand grasped between both of her own.

"Goodmorning, Adrien." She murmured, a soft blush decorating her tanned skin.

Adrien felt his stomach drop at the sight of her, and he immediately pulled his hand away.

"You know you really shouldn't touch people without their permission..." Adrien muttered, placing his hand to his lap.

Lila sighed and then she sat up more.

"Adrien...I think we got off to a bad start. I really like you...and I want to spend more time with you. We never get to spend anymore time together. Especially outside of here." She pouted, moving closer to him.

Adrien nearly curled up in his seat, attempting to move away from her.

"What are you talking about? This is work, we don't spend time together. I don't feel comfortable being around you by myself. I'm in a committed relationship with Marinette, and all you've done was push this narrative on to me about her that we both know isn't true."

Lila widened her eyes, reluctantly drawing back from him.

"B-But Adrien-" she refuted, her hands reaching to grab his which he pulled away immediately.

"No-" Adrien interjected. "I've had to tell you off a few times in the past and I will have to say it again. Leave me alone, leave my family alone, and stop talking down to Marinette."

Lila blinked, a deep blush of embarassment rose to her cheeks as a bit of the crew began to look down at them.

She pressed her lips together, refusing to speak back to him.

Adrien shook his head, standing up from his seat and walking away.

"Fucking Vulture..." he murmured under his breath, exiting to his dressing room.

Lila watched him, her eyes narrowing.

Her fists clenched with anger. There was no way he was going to reject her.

Not here.

Not now.

Not ever.

Never again. He was hers, he didn't belong to an insignificant trash hat like Marinette.

It didn't make sense to her.

He was her everything. She wanted him for herself. He was too good for a lowlife like Marinette.

Lila believed she was his perfect woman. She had the same lavish lifestyle. She enjoyed luxurious gifts, she enjoyed fashion and modeling, though she wasn't a fan of Ladybug, she enjoyed pretending to be a hero because in her own way she was.

She was destined to be Adrien's heroine. She was determined to break him from his trance with Marinette so he could truly realise that he was meant to be with her.

His run in with Marinette was only a mistake, and marrying her would be the biggest mistake of his life.

Lila stood up, her heart racing as she gathered herself up for a polite smile to the crew who watched the two.

"Excuse me." She chuckled, a small fake smile on her face decorated with a fake high pitched voice.

"H-he was venting about someone else...I-I'm so glad that we're close enough- that he trusts me enough to come to me with his problems." The brunette fabricated as she dissumulated her self deprecating thoughts. "I'm just gonna go check up on him." She breathed, awkwardly nodding to her onlookers before the returned to their business.

She turned away, walking over to his dressing her room, and her smile dissipated the moment all eyes were off of her.

Lila gripped on to the handle of his dressing room, and without even bothering to knock she walked right in.

Adrien was going through the racks of shirts that they were preparing for the shoot.

His blood was already boiling with the presence of Lila, the day was beginning to become more and more dreaded.

"Adrien-" Lila murmured out to which Adrien froze.

He sighed, rolling his eyes before he looked over to her.

"Don't you understand English?" Adrien grunted. "I said to leave me alo-" his words were cut short, his eyes widened as Lila stood in front of him.

She twirled her shirt in her hands, and she bit her lip.

She was completely topless, and Adrien had an eyefull of her breasts that he particularly didn't ask for.

"Whats the matter?" She asked. "Surprised to see me so suddenly?" She chuckled as she began to approach him.

Adrien stepped back, nearly tripping over the seat that was behind him.

"Lila what are you doing?" He asked as she cornered him to topple over the seat. He knew what was happening was all sorts of wrong, but despite how aggressive or pushy she had become, he couldn't find it in him to lay a hand on her.

He wouldn't even know where to touch anyway. The thought of his hands laying even on her naked shoulders felt wrong to him.

"I've come to remind you why I'm the best..." she murmured, pressing her breasts against his. Her hands danced along his collar bone. "What you're missing out on...why it should be me..." she bit her lip. She leaned up to press soft kisses to his neck.

Adrien placed his hands on her hips, lightly guiding her away from him.

"Lila...please don't..." he whispered, looking down at her. "Don't disrespect us both..."

Lila furrowed her brow and she immediately wrapped her arms around him

"Oh Adrien- you don't need to be a gentleman around me...I like to be handled..." she giggled, leaning up.

"Just close your eyes and kiss me...you'll see what I mean..." she tiptoed, her lips merely inches away from his.

They both recoiled as the door handle jolted.

Adrien's heart shattered as he witnessed his love in the doorway.

Her blue eyes widened at the both of them. Her pink freckled cheeks flushed from being under the sun, and Adrien couldn't help but to notice the pretty pink sundress she wore.

He frowned, her arms and legs shaking as he could only imagine what it looked like.

Lila pulled away, a small smile on her face as she gasped.

"O-Oh! Marinette!" She breathed, faking surprise as she covered herself. "We didn't expect you to be here-" she glanced over at Adrien.

"Adrien you dog! Couldn't keep his hands off of me..."

Lila glanced over at Marinette, knowing what she had said the night before, ensuring that Marinette was indeed nothing was settling in.

Adrien clenched his jaw, his blood boiling as he came to realise that Lila had planned this.

She came in there with the intention of someone walking in to what appeared to be a compromising situation.

"Marinette-" Adrien's voice shook as he looked to her. "It's not what it looks like-" he explained, immediately moving away from Lila and reaching out to her.

"Please-" he begged, placing his hand on her forearm and sliding it down to grab her hand.

Marinette immediately withdrew her hand, looking up at him as her lips pressed together with anger.

Lila quickly placed her shirt back on, biting her lip as she was almost ready to fly with bliss. Her plan was working.

Adrien felt his heart sink when Marinette refused to let him touch her. He could see the anger and hurt in her eyes, and in that moment he couldn't blame her.

He remembered when the roles were switched, he had caught Marinette in such a compromising position witn Nathan and he completely went off the rails. He couldn't keep up with the emotions he was feeling afterwards.

All he could do was empathize with her. His head dropped in defeat as Marinette then glanced over to Lila, who watched from the sidelines with a grin of triumph.

"Its not what it looks like..." Marinette repeated, her attention now drawing to Lila.

"I don't know what you're up to..." Marinette muttered as she slowly began to approach the brunette. "But its pathetic...that you're some lonely wench who has to go after someone who obviously doesn't any anything to do with them..."

Adrien widened his eyes, looking up at Lila who glared at Marinette.

He almost had the instinct to pull her away, as she began to corner Lila.

"You're a cruel bitch, Lila. You're a pathetic liar who doesn't have any friends. Everything you say is a lie and everything you've called me is a reflection of yourself.

A reject...

An embarassment...

An immature brat who'd do anything to get their way..." Marinette continued. "A vulture..." she glowered down at the brunette who was now blocked against the wall.

"Keep your claws away from MY husband...and don't fuck with my baby..." she spat, her heart racing as the thought of the rude things Lila said about her child began to run through her mind.

Adrien watched Marinette his mouth agape as he had expected her to see the worst in him and storm out.

Marinette stepped away from Lila, leaving her in silence. She turned to look at Adrien, her expression now weary.

"I came to bring you lunch..." she sighed. "But...I think its better you take the rest of the day off..." the bluenette now glancing over to Lila once more. "Pregnant wife demands it..."

She gingerly took Adrien's hand on tugged on it. "We can explain it to your father later, when you're not being sexually harassed by birds..." she glanced up at Adrien.

Adrien nodded, his hand gripping tightly on to hers.

Marinette was truly his heroine. He brought her hand up to his mouth where she pressed soft kisses to the back of her hand.

"Y-Yeah..." he agreed. "Of course..."

Marinette didn't give Lila a second glance as she grabbed her bag and guided Adrien out of the room.

"Pregnant?" Lila asked, her knees giving out as she dropped to the floor.

She was completely defeated.

All that was left was misery and despair.

Adrien was slipping from her fingers once again. She had no control. She was a master of manipulation.

She was manipulative of the mind...

Her fists clenched, her chest heaving as she didn't notice the purple butterfly that began to crawl its way through the window.

She banged her fists on to the ground.

She was a master manipulator of the mind.

And soon she would be of the body and time as well.


	18. Chapter 17

Short family fluff no one asked for.

Unbeta'd. Sorry for any grammatical errors

"You know you really scared me..." Adrien frowned, lifting up Louis in his arms.

"I seriously thought you were going to rip my balls off when you caught Lila..." he plopped on to the bed, holding his son against his chest.

Marinette glanced at herself in the mirror. She compared shirts on a hanger, holding it against herself with pursed lips.

"Like I'd really believe her?" She asked, turning over to glance at Adrien who smooched his son all over his face. "I'm not that gullible. I mean...Chloe was able to win me over when she told me Kagami was kidnapping you to Japan but I was fourteen!"

"Eh! Be nice!" Louis whined, attempting to shove his father away from his smothering. "Nop it!"

Adrien chuckled, squeezing the little one, lightly biting his cheek.

Marinette turned over, glancing over at her toddler fighting for his sense of freedom.

"Would you leave him?" The blunette pouted, placing her hands on her hips. "He looks like he's suffering."

Adrien shook his head, lifting his shirt and stuffing the toddler into it, until his head poked out from the same neck hole.

"Never." Adrien growled playfully. "This little one is mine! I get to bite all of his toes! Har har!" Adrien joked, glancing down at his son and making a face.

Louis looked at Adrien with wide eyes.

"No bite my toe!" He exclaimed, his head turning to look to Marinette with a pleading cry.

"Momma!" He cried out, tears pulling in his eyes with the thought of his father biting his little toes.

Marinette gasped, a small pout on her face as she placed her shirts to the side.

"Adrien!" She reprimanded, reaching out for her toddler. "Stop it! You're scaring him!"

The blunette climbed into the bed, her hands reaching to pry her little one from Adrien's shirt.

Adrien immediately recoiled, turning away from his fiance and cowered over Louis, keeping him out of her reach and view.

"Nope! I'll kidnap him to japan just like the conspiracies of teenaged Marinette!"

Marinette grit her teeth, her brow furrowing in vexation.

"Give me the baby!" She grunted, launching herself over Adrien, causing Louis to squirm underneath his father.

"Momma!" He screeched, his head nearly knocking into Adrien's bottom lip which he dodged.

Adrien glanced down at Louis who was uncomfortably crammed into the belly of his father's shirt.

"Feels familiar doesn't it?" Adrien murmured to Louis, referring to the way he was crammed in Marinette's belly before he was born.

Louis sniffled, looking up at his father not completely aware of what he was talking about.

Marinette grinned wiggling her toes into Adriens crack to which he immediately coiled away, his foot nudging her leg away from his back side.

"Marinette no- you can't thats cheating!" Adrien retorted, squirming away from the blunette.

Marinette giggled, wiggling her toes more so, scaring the blonde into distraction.

Louis slipped out from Adrien's shirt and immediately rolled into his mother.

Marinette cried out with victory, holding the little youngster.

"Ahahah! Mommy won!" The blunette sang, sticking her tongue out Adrien as he adjusted his pants.

Louis giggled, blowing a raspberry at Adrien. He smiled, nuzzling into Marinette.

Adrien gasped, a small blush on his cheeks at the defeat.

"That's not fair, booger!" He exclaimed, leaning closer and poking his toddler's nose.

"Your mommy cheated! She sticks her toes in uncomfortable places!" He looked up at Marinette who grinned at him.

"Mommy would do anything to save you-" Marinette interjected, kissing her little one's head.

Louis blushed naturally and nodded.

"Mhm!" He cowered away from Adrien.

"Admit your defeat." Marinette hummed. "The little one has chosen."

Adrien sighed, glancing at his son and then back at Marinette.

"Fine. Then I'll just bite mommy's toes..." he grinned.

The grin fell off of Marinette's face, her heart racing.

"You better not... I swear I'll kick you-" she warned, her legs trembling as she was quite ticklish on her feet.

Adrien grinned, playful growls and whines escaping his lips as he ducked lower, wrapping his arms around her legs.

The blunette gasped, attempting to kick him off

"ADRIEN! NO STOP!" She screamed, struggling to get out of his grasp, gently dropping Louis back into the space beside her. Marinette reached down, gripping Adrien's blonde hair in an attempt to pry him away from her.

Louis sat up, watching his mother scream and squirm away from Adrien.

A small smile appeared on his brave little face and he immediately tackled his dad in an attempt to save his mother.

Adrien gasped, immediately cowering away at the initial impact.

"Nooooo!" He cried out in utter defeat, releasing Marinette immediately.

The blunette breathed out, watching Louis tackle Adrien.

The toddler looked up at Marinette with a wide smile of accomplishment.

"I did it! I saved you mommy!" He exclaimed with excitement.

Marinette giggled, clasping her hands together.

"My hero!" She giggled, reaching out to grab him into her arms once more.

She kissed his cheek softly, watching as Adrien plopped back down against the bed, his cheeks flushed with defeat.

"I'm beat." He breathed. "You two put up a good fight."

Marinette giggled and she lay down, nuzzling into the little one in her arms.

"That's right. We're a new team..." she proclaimed proudly.

Adrien turned his head to look at them and nodded. "Of course, when I find someone to put their toes in your buttcrack then I'd make a new team too."

Marinette giggled, reaching over to cup his face.

"Oh. Don't be jealous, Mon cher." She murmured, leaning forward to kiss his lips.

Louis whined, breaking between them with a face of disgust.

"I love you both. I don't think you realise how much I needed this." Adrien breathed. "It's been such a long week..." he reached down, playing with Louis' hair.

Marinette smiled, humming softly.

"Yeah, family time was definitely needed..." she glanced up at Adrien shyly and bit her lip.

Adrien smiled warmly at his family briefly before he sat up.

"I...actually got you something..." he murmured, carefully climbing off the bed. "I meant to give it to you when our new little surprise was confirmed...but I don't know if I can wait that long."

Marinette furrowed her brow, sitting up as Louis sat up as well, watching Adrien curiously as he dug through a drawer.

"I know you're not whooed by jewels...but I saw these and thought of you..." Adrien turned to her, climbing on to the bed and offering her a small velvet box.

Marinette blinked, her heart racing as she reluctantly reached for the box.

"W-What is it?" She asked, looking down. She tapped her fingers against the box, her hands trembling as she opened it.

Inside were a pair of clear crystal earrings. They sparkled in the light, and it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

"Ooooh-" Louis cooed, glancing at the jewels inside the box.

"I don't know what wedding dress you're going to pick for tomorrow, but I thought you'd like to wear these on our wedding day..." he blushed, reaching up to rub the back of his neck.

Marinette chuckled, a flow of emotions running through her body. She bit her lip, shrugging.

"Is this your way of trying to make up for the huge loss you've suffered from Louis?" She teased, perking a brow before she closed the box. She looked up at him, trying not to cry.

Her baby hormones had her a mess.

"They are beautiful." She sniffled. "Thank you..." she leaned forward and kissed his lips softly.

Adrien grinned, reaching to grab her hand. "I'm really relieved you like them..."

Marinette clutched the box and smiled. "You spoil me rotten." She chuckled.

Adrien smiled, his green orbs capturing hers. Marinette looked back into his eyes, her heart racing.

"Hungee..." Louis whimpered, tugging on Adrien's shirt. "Hungee..."

The couple blinked, looking down at their son.

"Looks like our little guys hungry" Adrien rasped, reaching over and lifting the little toddler in his arms. "If I make you something, its going to be actual food. You're not going to eat brownies or cookies..."

Louis sighed, shaking his head with dissapointment.

Marinette giggled, watching her boys leave the room. She bit her lip, her heart feeling warm. She looked down at the earrings in her hand.

She really was marrying the man of her dreams.


	19. Chapter 18

Unbeta'd. Sorry for any grammatical errors. _

Most of it felt like a dream.

Marinette felt guilty for leaving Adrien behind, but it was known to be bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her dress before the wedding. She felt incredibly sentimental. Marinette even decided to wear the new pair of earrings Adrien had gifted to her the night prior. The blunette glanced at herself in the mirror, her heart racing at how wonderful her dress looked on her.

She pressed her lips together, in complete denial that this was actually going to happen. She was going to marry the man of her dreams, her high school sweetheart. Marinette was on cloud nine. Nothing would be able to bring her down at that very moment. She was elated, she felt like she could walk on air.

"This is it..." Marinette murmured, her fingers tracing the sweetheart neck line before she turned towards Alya who stood behind Marinette with a grin wider than the seven seas. "This is the dress..." Marinette nodded. The excitement bubbled to her toes.

Alya cupped her mouth, her body trembling as she tried not to cry. "Marinette, you look amazing...I'm so happy for you..." Alya spoke, standing beside Marinette so that they both were able to have a good look at the dress in the mirror. Marinette cupped her cheeks, her heart hammering against her chest.

" You're going to make me cry..." the blunette conceded. Alya wrapped her arms around her best friend, squeezing her to her body enthusiastically. The brunette pulled back to look at Marinette her brow perking as she spotted the studs Marinette was sporting. "Oh? Looks like you've got new bling to match your dress." Alya replied, her fingertip tapping the diamond stud.

The blunette blushed and she shied away from her best friend. "Shh!" She hissed, her cheeks only growing more and more dark. "Adrien gave them to me as a gift. He said they'd look great with my wedding dress, so I decided to wear them. Just for today." She explained

. Alya giggled, stepping back to get a good view at the train on the back of Marinette's dress. "You look amazing, Marinette. I can't stress that enough..." Marinette bit her lip bashfully, reaching up to tuck some hair behind her ear.

"Thanks, Alya."

* * *

Adrien carried Louis in his arms as he returned to work to retrieve something. The last thing Adrien wanted to do was to return to work on his day off. He worried about Lila prowling around, especially after what had happened a few days prior. He certainly didn't want her to catch a glimpse of Louis either. She was just someone that he didn't want around him or his family.

The model stepped over cords and passed by sets in a hurry. Louis held on to him and watched, his blue eyes curiously glancing over at the crew that he was actually interesting in playing with. Adrien poked his head behind a backdrop, hoping the coast was clear. For a brief moment he was thankful that his father had other models.

Granted, his dad didn't like when he took spontaneous days off but at least he had other fill ins when Adrien failed to step in for the job, which was a lot more often than anyone would expect.

It was more of a desired outcome for Adrien than a failure. Adrien had just barely made it to his dressing room when he heard someone behind him.

"Did you really think it was a good idea to bring your baby here?" Camille asked, her expression clearly reprimanding his decision as she crossed her arms.

Adrien paused, a nervous smile on his face as he awkwardly turned to her. "Well...I didn't have anyone to watch him, and I'm only here for a couple seconds. I have to grab a few things and we'll be up and out!" The model assured, glancing over to his toddler who looked back at him as he spoke. "Right buddy?" Adrien gestured, bouncing the little one on his hips

. Louis smiled, his legs flailing out of excitement and he nodded, agreeing with his father without hesitation even though the little one had absolutely no idea what he was talking about.

"See? Snappy. Promise" Adrien replied, looking back at Camille with a casual shrug.

Camille shook her head, reaching into her back pocket for her phone. "Just keep an eye on him. There's a lot of holes, cords and lights around. He could get into something and hurt himself."

Adrien nodded.

"Yep! Noted!" He ushered, turning away to get to his dressing room.

"Have you seen Lila?" Camille asked, quickly glancing up at Adrien. "She was supposed to show up for a photoshoot but she didn't. We've tried calling, no response..."

Adrien froze, furrowing his brow before he shook his head. He admitted that it was quite odd that she didn't show up. She was usually the first one here, before anyone else.

He knew because she was always waiting for him.

"Nope, I'm sure she was upset that Marinette came to pick me up the last time she was here. Marinette also told her that I was taking a few days off. I'm not here for her to stalk like some sort of prey, so she probably got bored and slept in today." He replied, placing Louis down before he opened the door to his dressing room.

The child widened his eyes, everything in the room was appealing. He wanted to play with anything and everything. It was not everyday that he got to be at his father's work and play with everything he kept in his dressing room.

The toddler immediately ran into the room, grabbing anything he could off the hangers to play with them. Adrien turned to Camille.

"Look, I don't mean to sound callous but I don't really care for Lila or for anything she does. If you don't mind, I'd prefer not to be asked about her or even mention her. Chances are I don't know, I'd rather not disturb my mental space."

Camille furrowed her brow, stuffing her phone into her pocket.

"Why? Did she do something to you?" She asked, her face twisting with concern.

Adrien was embarassed, he didn't want to have to explain what happened to him in front of his son. It was ridiculous, but he was embarassed at the situation. He was glad that Marinette had made an appearance at the right time, preventing her from going any further, but he just didn't want to remember it or have to talk about it.

The blonde shook his head, deciding against conversing about it.

"Nothing. She just comes on too strong. I don't want to be associated." He deadpanned, turning his attention back to his son. Adrien widened his eyes as Louis had already threw all the costumes on to the ground.

"I'll talk to you later-" Adrien replied, cutting the conversation short as he entered his dressing room and asked Louis to clean his mess.

Camille watched Adrien close the door to his dressing room with a grimace. She hoped whatever was happening between him and Lila would settle out in whats best for the both of them.

* * *

"So two months, the wedding is in two months. How are you not a nervous wreck?" Alya asked, glancing over to Marinette as the pair walked down the street in the direction towards her parents bakery.

"I've given birth to Louis, and his head was huge when he was born." Marinette reminisced. "If I can go through child birth without an epidural, I think I can handle a wedding." The bluenette joked. "Besides, I've been wanting to marry Adrien for quite some time. Fourteen year old me is screaming right now."

Alya chuckled, placing an arm around her shoulder casually. "She definitely is." She replied pursing her lips.

"I've no idea what childbirth is like, but I hear scary stories about it. I was there when you gave birth and you didn't poop yourself." She pulled back to look at Marinette as her face flushed with embarassment.

"So you're a warrior-" Alya teased with a grin.

Marinette glanced at her friend, giggling before she stuck her tongue out.

The duo paused as Marinette stepped on something. The bluenette glanced down, glass underneath her flat slippers.

"Did someone drop a mirror?" Alya asked, grabbing Marinette and taking a step back from the mess.

Marinette furrowed her brow, noticing a woman hunched over the pile of glass at their feet. Alya glanced at Marinette who returned the look. Marinette had a bad feeling in her stomach.

Alya released Marinette's hand, slowly approaching the short blonde haired woman. "Excuse me?" Alya mused, carefully stepping around the glass as she moved in closer. "Ma'am, are you alright?" She asked.

Marinette waited awkwardly, her eyes glancing up at the woman who hunched over. The female bit her lip, her brow furrowing upon noticed that a shard of glass had been sticking straight up from the woman's neck.

Small droplets of blood pooled at the wound site before it stained the dark blue shirt she wore.

"Alya..." Marinette warned, looking back to her friend, concern etched into her voice.

Alya turned her head, looking back at Marinette with a perked brow.

"What?"

Just as if on cue, the woman immediately flipped over, her arms open as she lunged at Alya.

Marinette felt her heart jump to her chest. "Alya!" She screamed out, not hesitating to push her friend out of the way.

The girls both tumbled to the ground with a grunt. Alya immediately scrambled to her feet, grabbing Marinette's hand and helping her up.

"Why do Akumas always show up when I'm pregnant?!" The bluenette rasped as she struggled to get on her feet.

Both girls immediately took off running towards the far end of the street. Marinette gripped Alya's hand, rounding between two buildings to hide in an alleyway.

"What the heck was that?!" Alya breathed, poking her head out to glance down at the location they were just running from. Marinette tucked some hair behind her ear. Marinette stood against the opposite building.

"I-I don't know. But did you see the shard of glass in her neck?" Marinette asked. "I don't think that was an accident."

"That's because it wasn't-" a sharp voice emanated from between them, breaking the silence.

The girls both looked up to see a strange woman standing on the top of the building. Her skin was purple, and her hair a dark black. She had a bodysuit that almost resembled Ladybug's suit, except her suit was a complete solid green.

The female flicked her bangs, tucking some hair behind her ears to flash the shards of glass in her hoop earrings. "An insenstive wench..." the girl recounted, picking large shards of glass off her jewels. "A desperate nobody who deals with people who could care less..."

Marinette widened her eyes, something in her gut telling her that she may have known who this person was. She reached up, touching her earrings. Her heart sank at the realization that she was wearing the stud earrings that Adrien purchased for her wedding. She was never this careless when it came to her miraculous, and the one time she was, it came down to this.

"I'm that manipulative bitch you and Adrien made me out to be..." the female murmured, lacing the glass between her fingers. "So lets see how manipulative Adrien sees I can be when I have complete control over your time, your body and your mind..." A wicked grin spread across her lips as Lila threw the shards of glass at both the girls.

Marinette rolled, throwing herself in the opposing direction

. "Alya!" She called, as Alya dodged and cowered, expecting a shard to come straight at her. Marinette flinched as a shard bounced right in front of her face.

Lila paused, fresh shards forming in the hoop of her earrings.

"Fucking volture, huh?" She asked, picking the pieces from her earrings and reloading them back into her knuckles.

Marinette used the time she stalled to crawl over to her friend, she held her small bag close to her, knowing full well that Tikki was worried. Marinette needed to find a way home to get her earrings.

"Alya, get Adrien." Marinette hastily whispered to her friend who was wide eyed and in terror. "Tell him to bring my earrings. Please make sure our son is safe. If she's here, I have no doubt she'll be after them. Don't let the glass touch you, she'll have complete control over you" Marinette explained.

Alya nodded, hesitating to leave Marinette behind. She paused, glancing back at the blunette. "Please...be careful..." she murmured, before she stood up and ran out of the alleyway.

Marinette gasped, shards of glass whisking past her.

She crawled over to the dumpster, hearing the glass clash with the metal. "I need to lead her away from here. To keep her distracted until I know Louis is safe, and Chat Noir returns with my earrings." Marinette whispered, looking down at her kwami who poked her head from the bag.

"I don't know, Marinette. I have a bad feeling about this one..." Tikki murmured, her eyes wide with worry.

Marinette flinched as Lila landed in front of her.

She immediately stuffed her kwami back into her bag and made a run for it. Her being pregnant didn't help, and Marinette cursed her swollen feet for hindering her progess. The blunette jumped, seeing shards glide right by her.

She had her eyes on the bakery. She was almost there, she was going to make it. Marinette cried out, a small cry of pain as she felt a small sharp pain on the back of her neck. Her bag glided across the ground, Tikki whimpering as she banged against the ground.

The kwami poked her head out, looking around carefully in an attempt to not be seen. The kwami gasped, her eyes wide as Marinette lay on the ground. The kwami cowered, trying not to be caught as Lila landed beside her chosen.

Marinette couldn't think, all she could hear was whispering. She looked back over to her kwami who watched her in horror.

Marinette could tell by the circumstances that she was hit, and her heart ached as she gave in to the whispering. She closed her eyes, unable to fight and just like that everything went black. "Tisk tisk!" Lila sang, crouching down to look at Marinette.

"Looks like you're mine now..." her sharp voice faded into darkness.


	20. Chapter 19

It was a quick motion.

The moment Alya called, Adrien was out the door. He couldn't explain much to Marinette's parents the sudden hurry, but Adrien needed to find Marinette as soon as possible.

Adrien felt terrible for cutting of bonding time with his son as he was left with his grandparents, but Adrien couldn't shake this terrible feeling he had deep in the pits of his stomach.

He could still hear Alya's frantic voice running through his head, even as he hauled ass back to their home to retrieve her earrings.

Chat Noir landed on a rooftop with ease, his green sclera green eyes scanning the area.

There was glass everywhere. It covered the ground, the bus benches, the buildings. It looked like a twister had rummaged through the streets and smashed every window in its wake.

The blonde extended his staff, allowing it to press on the pavement about a hundred feet below. He gripped on to the weapon and lowered himself on the ground.

His black cat ears flattened against his head with anxiety as his boots stepped on the glass that scattered the pavement. The glass was stained with blood, and the sight of it almost made Adrien weak. The thought of something like this happening to Marinette made his skin crawl.

The hero retracted his stick, keeping it in his hand as he walked along the pavement. His green eyes surveyed the scene at least for anyone conscious to tell him if they had seen his love.

The blonde paused, his heart racing as his cat ears lifted from his head. They flickered around at the sound of someone approaching him from behind.

Not wasting anytime, the male spun on his heels, his weapon drawn and ready to defend himself at any given chance.

"Wait!" Alya exclaimed, her eyes wide than saucer plates. Her pupils shivered with fear, as she flinched, obviously afraid that Chat Noir was going to attack her out of instinct.

The black feline sighed, immediately retracting his stance with a grimace.

"Alya, you scared me-" he shook his head, reaching up to rub his temples.

Alya remained tense, her lips pressing together as she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

Chat's eyes moved around Alya, inquiring for his love before he moved around Alya.

"Where's Marinette? Wasn't she with you?" He asked, panic slowly etching into his voice before he turned to face the brunette once more.

Alya swallowed hard, anxiously tucking her hair behind her ears.

"I-I-I don't know-" she stammered. "We were both hiding in an alleyway. There was glass. This thing was shooting glass everywhere-" Alya explained, her eyes flickering back and forth at the memory. "She told me to get you. She wasn't wearing the earrings she needed, but she went back and I couldn't see her. I called you and by the time I returned she wasn't there. I don't know where she is."

Chat frowned, his brow furrowing as he almost felt defeated.

"Does Lila have her? Did she go off to find Lila?" He asked, his voice quivering. Wherever she was, Chat had hoped Tikki was with her. "She's not safe if she's with Lila, we have to find her..."

Alya sighed, she turned and began to glance at the glass on the ground.

"Do you think she left a paper trail?" She asked, quickly looking back up at Chat as he looked up, scanning the rooftops of the building for any possible suspects.

"Paper trail?" Chat asked. "Was Lila filing reports somewhere?" He asked, exasperated and completely desperate to find his wife.

Alya rolled her eyes, not entirely caring for his sarcasm.

"No! Everywhere she goes, she throws glass. That impact gives her the ability to control that person she's captured, but once the glass is out, that person regains control of themselves. When me and Marinette hid, all she did was throw shards, if we follow the disaster she's left behind we might be able to find Marinette."

Chat rubbed his chin, his eyes following the mess of glass that lay on the streets.

"I...If she does have Marinette, I would think she would stop at that..." he murmured.

"Do you think she'd continue attacking others?"

Alya nodded, digging into her pocket and grabbing her phone. The brunette scrolled through her phone, glancing at her social media for any possible clues for Lila's location.

"Yes, she would if she wanted to grab the attention of Ladybug and Chat Noir. After all, the deal that anyone makes with Hawkmoth in exchange with great powers is the miraculous." The female lowered her voice as she moved closer to Chat.

"They don't know that Marinette is Ladybug." She whispered. "But they will expect both of you guys to show up and save Marinette as well as the others. I say we follow the glass trail and look for clues!"

Chat nodded.

"Right. Let's get going."

* * *

"Surprised?" Lila uttered, standing being Marinette, both girls looking down at their city below.

"I guess I'm that manipulative bitch that you made me out to be..." She placed a hand on Marinette's shoulder. "I lost Adrien to you...and now... he gets to lose you too..." She grinned, her green eyes glancing around the city, awaiting for Ladybug and Chat Noir to arrive.

Marinette felt like she was in a daze. Her body froze, and despite the muscle she used in an attempt to escape, she could not move. She glanced down at their city, thousands of feet below them. Her heart raced, fear running through her veins as she prayed for help to arrive.

Marinette felt tears sting her eyes as she had feared something was going to happen to her, and if it did she wanted Adrien to keep Louis safe at whatever possible lengths.

What mattered to her was that Louis remained safe, and grew to lead a happy and healthy life.

All that was important to her was Louis and Adrien. Marinette knew she was wrong at times, and always thought that if her secret identity was revealed all her loved ones would be at risk. But even so, her secret identity was always hidden and Marinette always found her friends and family in danger. Last year it was Louis, and now this year it was herself.

The blunette bit her lip, squeezing her eyes closed. She could still feel the stinging of the glass that remained lodged in the back of her neck. She wanted so bad to just reach back and pull it out of her skin. She wanted to be free. But Lila had complete control over her, and even if Marinette had her earrings, she couldn't help herself. Lila would find out, and just order her to remove her earrings to hand them over to Hawkmoth which was even worse.

"L-Look..." Marinette breathed, tears spilling down her eyes. "I-I'm sorry about what happened inside the dressing room. You don't have to make me do this..." She pressed her lips together in an attempt to stifle a sob that threatened to escape from her chest. "There's always another way to settle this. There's time to change. Adrien would have loved to be your friend, you don't have to give in to Hawkmoth. Adrien and I both think that's a terrible idea... you are at risk and so is your family if you continue to listen to him. Hawkmoth doesn't care about you, he just wants the miraculous and once he had them, he will get rid of you."

Lila reached up, gripping Marinette's hair, threatening to shove her straight over the edge.

Marinette whimpered, unable to steady herself as she couldn't move. She glared down at the city thousands of feet below.

"Shut up-" Lila hissed, her hands gripping on to Marinette's hair even tighter. "You're only sorry because I'm a threat-" She turned Marinette's head to force her to face one another.

"I don't care about Adrien anymore. He's already proved to me that he was garbage just like you, and that lump you guys call a child." A wicked grin spread across her face. "And this new one..." her hand gently lay across Marinette's belly. "This new one would have never had a chance..."

Marinette trembled, sniffling as she silently cried. She was beginning to feel defeated, but a part of her held on to hope that Chat would arrive just in time, or she would be able to save herself somehow. Marinette has done it before in the past, she was capable of saving herself again.

"Please..." Marinette begged. "There's got to be something else. This won't give you what you wanted. After all of this nothing will change. You'll still be alone, and you'll only prove to everyone that what they've said about you was right..."

Lila chuckled, her hands slowly releasing her before she folded her arms against her chest.

"Nothing you say will make me change my mind..." Lila uttered. "Everything will fall into place, and everything as you know it, will be no more. I hope you hugged your family, Marinette" Lila chuckled, turning away from the sobbing blunette. "Because after today, you'll never see them again..."

* * *

Chat paused, glancing down at the pavement. His heart ached at the sound of Marinette's bag that was strewn across the ground. Alya had already walked ahead of him, heading towards the Eiffel tower.

Chat reached down, picking up her bag and holding it close to him. He blinked, pulling back the purse as he felt movement inside.

The blonde glanced around, making sure the coast was clear before he opened the bag and had a look inside.

Tikki poked her head out from the purse very subtly, her eyes wide with both hope and sadness.

"Tikki" Chat breathed, his eyes wide. "Tikki, where is Marinette? I brought her earrings so she could transform." He explained, his eyes racing at a million miles a minute.

"Lila has her." Tikki replied, her eyes wide and sad. "She has complete control over Marinette. I saw them both go towards the Eiffel tower. We need to hurry!" She ushered. "Marinette is in danger. I have a bad feeling about this one."

Chat frowned, his heart racing. He nodded, taking Tikki out of the bag and lightly placing her into his pocket. He zipped the pocket close, keeping her safe inside.

Chat immediately ran towards Alya, screeching to a halt the moment he reached her side.

"Alya!" He called, immediately grabbing her attention. The brunette turned to look over at him with a confused expression.

Not having much time to explain, Chat shoved Marinette's purse into Alya's hands.

"Here" he breathed. "Take this. I need you to move somewhere safe. If anything happens please take care of Louis and make sure that he's safe." Chat frowned.

The feline turned, immediately heading towards the tower without hesitation. He had sacrificed himself to help Ladybug, he knew he'd do it again without a second thought.

Alya reached out, grabbing on to his tail, preventing him from moving any further.

"Wait!" She called out, her eyes wide. "No! You're not leaving me here. Marinette is my friend, I'm going to help!" She retorted. "And don't talk like you don't have the intention to come back. You need to do everything you can so that you and Marinette could come back home to Louis."

Chat shook his head, gently tugging his tail out of Alya's grip.

"You have to promise me that you'll stay here. If something happened to you, or Nino, or Louis...I wouldn't be able to live with myself." Chat looked back towards the tower, his chest aching as he knew his love was up there somewhere.

"Marinette and I have done this for years... we know what happens when it becomes dangerous. I just need to have peace of mind that you and our families are somewhere safe. For right now I need you to hide." Chat explained.

Without uttering another word, he took off running, using his staff to allow himself to move at a rapid pace.

Before Alya could even respond, Chat was gone.

She clutched Marinette's bag in her hands, watching Chat leave with a determined expression.

If he thought she was going to stay behind, he was sadly mistaken.

* * *

Chat grunted, extending his staff and began to jump from rooftop to rooftop. He breathed out, pausing as he glanced up at the tower.

He leapt, landing on his feet with his Chat-like reflexes in front of the tower.

He looked up, breathing heavily before he began to scale up the structure with an urgent need.

He swung himself between leverages, his claws gripping on to the bars with desperation. The feeling paused, reaching the top leverage with great anticipation.

Chat knew it would be a good idea to lay low, in case Lila was around. But he just couldn't help himself.

"Marinette!" He called, grabbing his weapon from behind his back and drawing it in anticipation.

The hero circled the center, his green eyes catching a glimpse of a figure that stood on the edge.

The figure didn't move, the wind blew at her dress despite how strong it had started to become.

Part of Chat worried that it was a trap. He couldn't take any chances.

Chat slowly approached the figure, his eyes locked on to it with determination.

"Marinette?" He asked, getting closer and closer to the figure.

The figure slowly turned to face him, a pair of blue watery eyes connected with his, and Chat nearly fell to his knees.

"Chat-" Marinette breathed, remaining still on the ledge.

Chat widened his eyes, his instinct was to immediately run up to her.

"Marinette!" He called out, immediately running towards her.

Marinette felt her heart ache as her love did come for her. But as fate may have it, Marinette knew this would be the last time she saw him.

"Chat- Don't-" she warned, causing the Cat to pause. "She's here...You need to go now... her earrings, she can control people."

Chat shook his head, tears in his eyes as he refused to leave.

"No, I'm not leaving you. We are going to figure this out. We always come up with something." He assured, remaining obdurate. He moved in closer to her, his hand reached out to grab hers and pull her off the ledge and back into his arms where she belonged.

Marinette glanced up, her face showing nothing but fear. She wanted to move, to run to him and grab her earrings, but she could not move no matter how hard she tried.

"Chat- look out!" She called, her eyes glancing up to the space behind him.

Before Chat could even register what was happening, glass whisked by his face. The hero turned, his eyes wide as he was grabbed from the back.

He gasped as he was then slammed into the ground.

Pain radiated throughout his back and chest. He looked up, groaning in pain as Lila stepped over him.

"I knew you'd show up..." she chuckled, reaching up to pick at her earrings. "Thought Ladybug would be with you. I am a little surprised though."

Chat grit his teeth, his only concern was to get Marinette into safety. His heart sank, hearing Marinette sob as she stood where she was found.

"I guess a kitty puppet before an insect one will suffice for now..." Lila muttered, winding the glass into her knuckles. "Ladybug will be back for her kitty. A miraculous is a miraculous..." She shrugged.

Chat widened his eyes, immediately flinched away from a piece of glass that plowed straight into the ground beside his head.

He glanced up, just as Lila flicked another piece. He dodged it, his boot leaping up and licking her straight in the face.

Lila gasped out in pain, the taste of blood immediately pooling in her mouth as she staggered away from him.

Chat leapt to his feet, not wanting to let his guard down.

Chat turned towards Marinette who remained a cold statue. He took off after her, reaching for Marinette to hide her away.

He gasped, feeling a sharp stinging pain to the back of his leg. The glass skidded in the space in front of him, the Cat unable to hold in his cries.

He fell to his knees, his fists clenching as he banged on the ground.

"Damn it!" He cursed, glancing back at the wound on his leg from the glass cut.

"Scaredy cat is trying to run..." Lila sneered, wiping the blood from her nose. "You're not going to get very far kitty..."

Chat furrowed his brow, getting to his feet and drawing his sword.

Marinette was going to have to wait just for a little bit.

Chat widened his eyes as Lila began to throw more shards. Chat dodged, blocking the attacks with his weapon. Chat leapt backwards, realizing that Marinette must have had the glass stuck inside of her.

He wondered that if he was able to take the glass out, he and Marinette could escape.

Chat rolled on to the ground, panicking as Lila jumped, landing behind Chat.

"Lila, you're making a huge mistake. Nothing you do will fulfill anything empty inside of you-" Chat grunted, blocking shards of glass, and launching them back at her as she dodged them.

"How about I just get you to shut up. You're starting to sound like loud mouth over there. She's all talk...it's getting lame." Lila retorted.

"Lila, you come on too strong, but there's room for change." Chat promised. "I know there's something in you that wants to."

Lila rolled her eyes, the vexation of Marinette and Chat's attempt to reason with her becoming quite obvious on her face.

"I said to shut up!" Lila grunted. "I don't give a shit for whatever you have to say. Everything you and that girl spit out of your mouths is garbage."

Chat turned over, jumping and leaping away from her course of aim. He was grazed by glass, and the pain was something to remember and learn from. The last thing he wanted was to be under her control. He suffered at her hands long enough while he worked with her.

"How about I make a proposition..." Lila suggested, pausing as her eyes glanced over at Marinette. "You get to chose..." her face contorting as she was formulating an idea..

Chat jumped back, his eyes also locked on Marinette.

"What proposition?" Chat asked, not entirely trusting what Lila had to offer.

"You get me that baby of hers...or You let her die..." Lila proposed, almost sure he was going to chose the latter.

Chat widened his eyes.

"W-What?" He asked, his heart racing as he didn't want to chose between his son and his wife.

"You heard me..." She replied. "Give me her son, or spare her life..." she chuckled. "Its entirely up to you. As you can see, Marinette is my little puppet. She has to do what I tell her."

Marinette's eyes widened and she whimpered, looking down at the drop below her feet and then at the situation that Lila had put Chat Noir in.

"Choose Louis!" Marinette cried out. "I don't care what happens to me. Make sure Louis is safe, Chat Noir."

Chat froze, his heart sinking. He felt trapped, he knew Marinette was right, Adrien was selfish. He didn't want to lose either of them. He wanted his wife and he wanted his son. He needed them both to survive. They were the only reason why he was alive.

"Marinette-" Chat whimpered, tears threatening to pool from his eyes as he looked at her. "I can't...I can't let anything happen to you..."

Marinette cried softly, her heart aching as she looked at her love.

"I know.. Kitty, I know. But you need to keep my baby safe..." she breathed, choosing her words carefully. She didn't want to let on who Chat Noir really was as Lila was watching them.

"He's just the baby...and You know how much he means to me and Adrien. No matter what happens, its our job to keep him safe..."Marinette continued, the wind blowing through her hair. "I know his father will take care of him...please promise me, make sure his father takes care of him..." tears eventually began to roll down her face.

Chat was almost ready to drop to his knees, he couldn't let this happen. He wouldn't accept any decision to give up his love or his child.

"Marinette-" Chat pleaded. "Please-"

Marinette shook her head.

"Chat. Please promise me..." She murmured softly.

Chat was at a loss for words, he reached up, clutching his chest. He couldn't do this. There was no way he was going to let anything happen.

Lila rolled her eyes, yawning as Chat trembled with confliction.

"I guess the decision was obvious. I'm not entirely surprised." Lila chuckled. "Sorry for ruining the tender moment, but..." Lila averted her gaze to Marinette. "Seeing as though I'm such a good manipulator, perhaps Marinette should just...jump..."

Chat widened his eyes, his eyes briefly looking at Lila before darting back to Marinette.

Marinette sobbed softly, her hands reaching up and clutching her chest. Her blue eyes locked on to Chats eyes.

"Tell Louis mommy loves him..." she whispered, her breath quivering as she moved. "Tell Adrien I love him..."

Chat immediately reached for her, turning his body to run towards her.

"MARINETTE, NO-" he called out, his voice cracking as Marinette bowed her head.

Marinette didn't want to do it. She wanted to stay here with her family. Her heart ached at the thought of not being able to watch her son grow. She was so excited to get married, she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Adrien. Their lives had been so busy up until this point, and Marinette only wished she had taken more time to enjoy her life with the family she was growing.

She heard the pain in Adrien's voice. She watched Chat run after her, leaving himself completely vulnerable to Lila before she closed her eyes.

And just as much as she hated to, she did was she was told.

Marinette opened her eyes, seeing her love one last time before she jumped.


	21. Chapter 20

A/N: Before anyone reads this chapter, I want to ask you guys to trust me. As I've said before I planned everything out and its going to work. Please enjoy the ride.

Thank you.

He didn't hesitate. Chat Noir didn't have to be told twice, his feline instincts immediately taking over.

Chat would give his life for Marinette in a second.

Not caring for Lila who stood behind him laughing, Chat leapt off the rails, jumping in after Marinette.

His heart raced, and it was almost hard to breathe as the wind blew in his face. He reached out to her, and in a split second his eyes connected with hers.

Her blue eyes sought his, tears drying on her face as she reached out to him.

Chat was hurting, she was falling at least a hundred miles a minute.

Chat reached further, almost as if he was reaching into an abyss, ready to pull her out of a black hole. He didn't know how he'd save himself, but that came after he was sure she was safe in his grasp.

He barely was able to graze her fingertips when something jerked him back.

The belt around his waist tightened and the blonde glanced above him, his teeth grinding at the sight of Lila holding on to him, stopping him as she caught him from one of the lower floors.

Chat glanced down, his eyes wide as he and Marinette were separated once more.

Without wasting anymore time, he grabbed his weapon, extending it until it plowed into the ground straight at the bottom. Chat aimed the top towards Lila's face, purposely jamming it into her jaw to inflict pain which he was sure would be his release.

Much to his dismay, Lila remained stubborn. She kept her grip on to his belt tail, tugging on him.

"You always have to be the hero-" She grunted. "In or out of costume, you'll always be a garbage cat who gets to watch innocent people die."

Chat struggled against the grasp as he was getting closer towards Lila and further away from Marinette.

He couldn't waste anymore time, and Chat undid his belt, free falling against his weapon.

"Marinette!" He called out, his eyes yearning for hers once more.

Marinette breathed out, her vision blurring and her heart beating with shock.

Chat reached out to her one last time, denying the inevitable.

His eyes widened and his heart ached, hearing the sound of her body smacking against the pavement.

"No!" Chat whimpered, his feet landing on the ground as he barely just made it.

Lila watched from above, wiping blood from her bottom lip. She turned, walking away as she climbed up to the tower.

Surprised that Ladybug hadn't made an appearance, the villain began to leap from rooftop to rooftop, lacing glass into her knuckles as she anticipated the worst.

Lila paused, the purple butterfly appearing across her eyes as Hawkmoth came through. Lila heard his voice in her head.

"Where are you Going? Chat is back there. Ladybug could show up at any minute..." Hawkmoth uttered out coldly.

Lila chuckled, fiddling with glass in her hands.

"Trust me..." She continued to move along. "He won't be moving anytime soon..."

Alya watched Lila as she leapt from building to building.

The female grabbed her phone, about ready to follow her and take photos to keep track of her location in case Ladybug and Chat Noir needed it.

She paused as she heard a cry a few feet down from her.

Her heart ached in her chest as she recognized Chat Noir's voice. Fearing that he was hurt, she decided to leave Lila behind and follow the sound of Chat's voice to investigate or get involved if she needed to.

"No, no, no, no, no-" Chat whimpered, not even caring where Lila was at that very moment. His arms wrapped around Marinette, pulling her off the ground and holding her against his chest.

It hurt.

Chat couldn't describe the pain that emanated in his chest. It was as if his soul was ejected from his body, and the after remaining pain brought him to his knees.

And he did just that. The blonde gripped on to her, his heart racing faster than he could breathe.

Fear made his muscles ache, and his mind only ever knew how to deny what he was seeing in front of him.

"No, no, no." He whispered, squeezing his eyes shut as tears began to burn beneath his lids. "You're okay- we are going to go home to Louis.-" he breathed, holding Marinette tight to his chest. "B-Because we need you. I need you, Louis needs you...Paris needs you." He bit his lip, pulling back to look at his love's face.

Marinette remained limp, her eyes subtly open as she remained in his arms.

Chat reached up, cupping her still rosy cheeks. She was still warm, she was still beautiful the way she had always been. She was his lady, and the mother to his child. She was everything he could have asked her and more.

"Marinette?" He asked, his arms shaking her subtly as she remained unmoving.

"Marinette please-" Chat sobbed, his claws digging into the back of her dress as she brought her lifeless being into his chest again.

Chat squeezed his eyes shut, his mind refusing to wrap around that fact that he was too late. Things always worked out. There always had to be something. There had to be something he could have done.

Chat cried into her shoulder, his mind beating to the fact that he would have rather it been him. The hero clung on to her, rocking back and forth as if he was trying to calm himself.

"No, Marinette. Please-" he pleaded into the crook of her neck. "Please-" he sobbed, his body trembling as he cried.

She was warm in his arms, that's all that mattered. Any sign of life was all that he clung on for.

In his mind, if she was warm, then she was alive.

Her skin was still soft, like he had remembered. Her lips and cheeks were still rosy like they had always been. Nothing about her changed.

Alya watched, her eyes wide as she was almost ready to fall to the ground.

Her eyes watered, reading the pain in Chat's face that what he held on to, was the remains of her best friend.

Alya felt like the walls were closing in. She looked around, desperate to spot anyone that could help. She turned on her heels, running desperately down the street.

The sun had blessed the path with its rays, leaving a bittersweet, yet taunting feel to what they both were experiencing.

Alya didn't have the guts to approach. She felt sick to her stomach. She needed to get away, or she was going to break.

Nino's eyes shot wide at the sounds of banging. He immediately sat up in bed, throwing the blanket over as he ran towards the front door.

He hastily opened it, his heart racing at the sight of Alya completely hysterical.

His eyes widened, his arms catching her as she collapsed into his embrace.

Alya gripped on to him, her body heaving as she finally cried. The images of Marinette in her head. She couldn't rid the thought of it. She was completely submerged in disbelief. Life without Marinette seemed nearly impossible to imagine.

Nino hugged her tightly, his first instinct was to calm her.

He carefully helped her inside and shut the door behind them. He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, his heart racing with anxiety.

"Alya-hey. What's wrong?" He asked, his voice ushering even though he meant to sound relaxed. "Are you hurt?" He pulled back to cup her face.

Alya shook her head, tears streaming down her face as she tried to formulate words.

"T-There was an akuma..." Alya sobbed, reaching up to wipe the tears from her face. "A-And everyone is hiding. There's no one to help!" She cried out. "I couldn't go- Chat...he's-he's by himself." Alya breathed in, looking up at Nino as he furrowed his brow, attempting to make sense of her words.

"Chat is by himself? Where's Ladybug? Is she in trouble?" He asked, his hands running through her hair.

Alya sniffled, shaking her head as her eyes continued to swell with tears.

"I-Its Marinette..." Alya blinked, her face trying to withhold the hurt and fear she was feeling.

"S-She's gone..." She breathed.

Nino paused, his eyes blinking before he shook his head.

"Wait... gone? Did she go somewhere?" He asked, strain in his voice as he avoided the worst. He never thought something this bad could ever happen to either of them, let alone Marinette.

She was Ladybug, she was always in sticky situations but no matter what, she always found her way out and made it work. Paris depended on them, just as Chat Noir and his bug depended on each other.

Factors made their situation complex, but they both had a baby to take care of. It was pivotal that they made it back in one piece.

"No-" Alya breathed, her eyes staring down at the ground as she herself had trouble understanding what was happening. "She's gone..."

The sky had began to darken. Chat didn't know what time it was, or how much had passed by.

Louis sat in the back of his mind, and Chat was still unable to breathe.

His body trembled, as he wailed. His voice cried out in pain, as he continued to hold her.

She wasn't warm anymore. Her cheels weren't rosy but pale, and Chat couldn't wrap his mind around the situation.

His eyes closed and his claws continued to grip into the back of her dress. Marinette's head fell on to his shoulder, occasionally falling back in forth with the movement of his rocking.

Chat breathed out, not entirely realizing that he had been holding her for quite a few hours. He ignored the small crowd that had begun to crowd around them.

He wasn't ready to part with her.

He knew that if they took her away, she'd never come back. He would never be able to hold her in his arms again. He would never be able to feel her against him, or look at her face. He couldn't bear that thought. She was all he had to live.

Chat paused, hearing a noise behind him. With grit teeth, he was about ready to call his Cataclysm until he spotted Nino and Alya.

Alya stayed put, not moving that much behind Nino. She couldn't bring herself to look at Marinette, she knew she wouldn't be able to handle it. The image of Marinette deceased would be etched into her mind for good.

Nino held his hands up, noticing the hostility in Chat.

Chat sniffled, his arms returning around Marinette where he continued to hold her against him.

Nino glanced down, his face dropping at he saw the small cracks on the ground of Marinette's impact.

He slowly approached the feline in distress. He clutched on tightly to Marinette's remains.

Alya peered over, her suspicions confirmed when she noticed that the tip of Marinette's fingers were blue.

She was dead.

Chat Noir wouldn't let go of her remains. The brunette turned her face, her body trembling as she cried.

Nino heard his girlfriend sob behind him.

Nino was also hurting. Both his best friend and his girlfriend were completely broken. He wanted to mourn with them, but he had to keep himself composed.

He needed to be strong so that those two had someone to lean on, someone to guide them and keep them sane. Marinette would have wanted that for them.

"Chat-" Nino began, his eyes scanning Chat as he clung on to what was once his betrothed.

"You have to let her go..." He whispered. "She's gone..."

Chat shook his head, refusing to listen to what his friend was telling him.

"No...no..." Chat whimpered through his teeth. "She's still warm...she's alive. She's here. I-I'll bring her home...and she'll wake up. Louis will jump on her, and she'll wake up like she always does..." He replied in a low rigid whisper. "She can't be gone..."

Nino frowned, his heart sinking to his stomach at the sight of his friend.

"She is..." Nino repeated. "There's no way she could survive a fall from that height..."

"NO- SHUT UP-" Chat cut him off, his grip on her only growing tighter. "She can't be...She just...She can't leave me...She can't leave me, she can't leave me...She can't leave me..." His voice cracked.

Nino reached out to Chat, placing his hand on his arm, coercing his claws out of the back of Marinette's dress.

"Louis needs you right now. Louis only has you. It's time to let her go, so Marinette can be at peace. She'll always be with you guys, but you have to go to Louis..." Nino explained.

Chat's eyes widened, his body trembling. This was truly a nightmare he was struggling to wake up from. He needed to wake up.

"I can't..." Chat breathed. "I need her..." His hand gripped on to Nino's hand tightly. "I need her, Louis needs her. I...I can't go home without her..."

Nino nodded, his hand gripping on to Chat's hand. Part of him worried that Chat would cataclysm him in his State of mind, but he remained calm.

"You're not alone..." Nino assured, hearing the soft cries of Alya behind him.

"I promise. We are here with you. We'll help you get through this. Marinette always wanted you to put Louis above her. Don't break Marinette's promise... keep her alive by doing well to that promise."

Chat cried softly, it was hard.

He lost his mother, and now he lost his love.

Nino carefully tugged Chat away, allowing him to put Marinette back down so that she could be taken where she needed to be.

Chat hesistated, not taking his eyes off of Marinette.

"She looks cold-" He interjected, remaining obdurate once more. " She shouldn't be laying on the floor. Does anyone have a sweater? I-I want her to be warm..." Chat breathed.

Nino looked back at Marinette's lifeless remains on the ground. He nodded, grabbing his sweater and walking past the feline. He placed his sweater across Marinette.

"They'll take her from the ground." He sighed, rubbing his palms together.

The real challenge was to explain to Louis, and break the news to her parents.


	22. Chapter 21

He was in pain.

Physically and emotionally. He didn't realize that losing someone besides his mom would completely break him. He was too much in fear to find out.

Adrien couldn't remember much of Marinette's funeral. All he could remember was the sound of Sabine's cries, Alya barely able to stand, and the peaceful look on Marinette's face before the casket was closed and she was put six feet under.

Adrien craved to be where she was. He wanted to lay in the ground with her. He wanted to make sure there was room inside for the both of them.

He often found himself just staring at her tombstone. It was like he was stuck in a trance. He was truly in a nightmare he was waiting to wake up from.

Adrien wanted to hide away. He couldn't eat, he had trouble staying asleep, and he found that he had trouble focusing on Louis.

When he wasn't crying, he was hiding under blankets. Because he was up all night screaming, he spent most of his days sleeping.

He didn't feel alive, and most nights he couldn't stop seeing his love leap to her death over and over again. It was traumatic. Adrien tetered on the brink of suicide. It was becoming too much for him.

Adrien couldn't escape solitude. He loved his son, but the grieving was so much worse. He contemplated fusing the miraculous together to bring Marinette back, but he remembered his late fiance explaining to him that if he wishes for a certain thing, he'll lose something else.

Adrien would be back at square one. He'd be choosing between Marinette and something or someone else he loved. He couldn't take that chance in case it was Louis.

Adrien would have gathered his strength to talk to Tikki for her wisdom but she had disappeared back into the miraculous the moment Marinette died.

Either way, he was sent back to the beginning.

He started as nothing, and now he was back to nothing.

"A-as an inspiring fashion designer...one should be able to conjure designs for all body types..."

Adrien's eyes shot open, glancing up at the ceiling of his bedroom at the sound of Marinette's voice in his head. Adrien could see her sitting beside him, sketching maternity designs in their old classroom when he learned that she was pregnant.

" I imagine pregnant women like nice clothing too." She smiled, glancing over at him bashfully.

Adrien froze, his heart aching at the memory.

He closed his eyes, tears stinging his eyes as he turned over in bed. He pulled the blanket over him.

"I wanted to know if you'd like to hang out with me after school today. I'd like to get to know you better."

Adrien frowned at the memory of his own voice. He remembered how conflicted she was when he had offered to take her out.

He remembered each and every cute freckle on her face. The way her bangs caressed her face, and the way she'd look away or look down when he was incredibly bashful around him.

"What?" She asked, her expression remaining confused, like she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

She was just so cute.

"Do you want to hang out with me after school?"

Adrien's voice rang in his own head at the memory of him having to repeat himself, and he remembered that eager nod she gave him with that sweet smile she always had.

Adrien clutched on to the blankets, his soul aching. He buried his face into the pillows, his tears finally falling freely down his cheeks.

Alya placed food in front of young Louis.

She sighed, placing her towel to the side. Her eyes glaring down at the letter from the doctor that lay torn open on the dining room table.

The results of the confirmation of a pregnancy from the doctor was bittersweet, but horribly unfortunate.

Two lives were lost that day, and from the looks of it, Alya was sure Adrien was next.

He was not taking care of himself, or Louis. She knew that he was grieving, but he had to pull it together for the one thing he had left of Marinette.

Their only child.

Louis sat at the dinner table by himself, a grimace on his face as he poked at his food.

He still couldn't quite understand what had happened to his mother, but he knew that he wasn't going to see her again and he missed her terribly.

"Momma..." He whimpered softly, not feeling that hungry anymore. Louis looked to his father's closed bedroom door.

The little one felt alone. His mother wasn't around, and neither was his father. He enjoyed Alya's company as she came over every once in awhile to come in and care for him when Adrien was too much of a mess to get back on his feet.

Plagg sat beside the youngster. He too was at a loss for words. He had been through so many chosen ones, and none of them hurt as much as this one.

Plagg also lost someone he cared about.

Tikki was his favourite counterpart, she balanced him out in ways that Marinette did for Adrien.

Sure, the two always bickered around playfully, but those were the moments he enjoyed the most. Tikki was his best friend, and aside from Adrien his only close friend. He adored Louis, but even after seeing how cold Adrien was being, the little kwami couldn't help but to feel hurt for him.

Adrien only withdrew himself from his family, his friends, and even neglected to do his heroic duties in tracking down Lila especially know she was still out there with the potential to do more harm.

Adrien became indifferent to Plagg, he rarely fed him, or talked to him, and most times Plagg felt like Adrien never even saw him there.

Plagg floated up to Louis' shoulders, looking at the little toddler with a grimace.

Alya glanced down at her watch, her other hand on her hip as she was beginning to grow querulous at Adrien's lack of appearance.

The brunette stormed off to his bedroom, opening the door loud enough to cause a bit of a stir out of Adrien who just lay in his bed.

Adrien sighed, sitting up and looking at Alya.

By reading her expression, Adrien was sure enough prepared for a lecture. It was midday and he skipped out on work for a few days, and on the days he had someone over, he would just crawl and whither away in bed.

"Adrien, it's been two weeks. I understand that you are in a substantial amount of pain, but you are a parent. You have to be there for Louis. You need to get back on your feet and move on with your life. Marinette would have wanted that." Alya sighed, glancing up at Adrien who stared at her blankly.

He was emotionless, it was as if he had cried everything that was left to cry.

"Adrien...? Was this a date?"

Marinette's voice rang like a bell in his head as he slipped back into the memory of the time Adrien had taken her out to dinner by the Eiffel tower.

"Do you want to do this again sometime?"

Adrien blinked, his heart sinking once more as he remembered at how much awe and admiration he had for her. And now she was gone.

She had somehow slipped through his fingers yet again.

"I really like you, Marinette..." He breathed, tears finally slipping from his eyes as he recalled the things he had said to her that night on their first date.

Luka sighed as he began to place all of Marinette's belongings into a box.

"You Would think Audrey would have her staff throw everything out in this room, instead of letting us take it." He commented, picking up photos of baby Louis from Marinette's desk and gently placing it into a box. "I guess she does have a heart after all..."

Nino shrugged, folding fabrics of a lot of Marinette's unfinished designs. He stood up, watching how Marinette's old office was becoming emptier and emptier by the second.

"Honestly, it could just be because Marinette was supposed to be an Agreste." Nino conceded, his eyes glancing back to Luka who looked at Marinette's sketches with a pained expression.

"I can't imagine Adrien having to do this. It hurts me to look at all of her stuff and I wasn't even about to marry her..." Luka frowned. "But she was still very important to me. I just wished that I had told her how important she was to me when she was alive..." Luka closed her sketchbook, leaning down to place it in a box.

Nino looked down, placing some of Marinette's things to the side bedore he approached Luka and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We have to be strong..." He murmured, his expression solemn. "For both Adrien and Louis. If we don't, then Adrien will let himself die. Louis already feels lost. If he loses Adrien too, he'll truly have no one."

Luka sighed, looking down at the ground before he nodded, and then looked up at Nino.

"You're right, it just feels like a really bad dream that I hope I soon forget or wake up from..."

Nino nodded, patting Luka on the shoulder before returning back to Marinette's station of unfinished projects.

"I hear you-" he commented, wondering how Alya was holding up around Adrien. Nino had to come up with a place to put all of Marinette's stuff. He was aware that the mere sight of it would crush Adrien to pieces.

Adrien couldn't fully understand how life went on without the only thing that gave him a will to live.

The blonde poured coffee into a mug, the lines under his eyes deepening.

Louis sat in front of the tv, watching cartoons with the blanket his mother made for him.

The toddler glanced over at Adrien, a small frown on his face as he was almost too nervous to ask his father if he could have a snack, or get read a bedtime story. His mother used to read them all the time until he was asleep.

Not having Marinette around was hard Louis to adjust to as well.

Alya reached over, handing Louis one of his stuffed toys. She leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to his head before tucking the blanket, in case he was ready for a nap.

Alya returned to the kitchen, watching Adrien stir his coffee before taking a sip.

The model was well dressed, as it was something customary for him to do. His hair was swept perfectly the way he always had it, but his features remained indifferent.

Alya frowned at his lack of emotion as well as his appearance of health.

"You've gotten skinny, Adrien..." Alya murmured, crossing her arms.

Adrien paused, not entirely realizing that he had been losing weight due to lack of appetite. But this was normal for people who were morning such a huge loss.

The blonde shrugged it off, reaching over to grab a piece of bread from the plate that Alya had purchased from her late friends family bakery.

"It's been a rough two weeks..." the blonde deadpanned, the stress lines under his eyes deepening.

Alya nodded, her head dropping to the ground.

"I get it...But we should really focus on Louis. He needs to see you take care of yourself. Don't kill yourself in front of him. He can't grieve both parents at once."

Adrien looked up at Alya his expression remaining impassive. He took a small bite out of the bread, his shoulders shrugged.

"Noted." He deadpanned, the back of his mind wandering to Marinette as the bread did taste familiar.

He didn't hear much from Marinette's mother, but Tom did often stop by to check in on Louis a lot the last few days which Adrien was grateful for.

Alya rolled her eyes, not feeling much emotion from Adrien lately. He was like a walking corpse. Alya knew she could only go so far with him.

The brunette grabbed her back and placed it over her shoulder.

"Nino and Luka have some stuff to bring over tomorrow. We'll be in to check in on you. Don't forget to feed Louis and yourself." She lectured.

Adrien nodded, almost offended that Alya would imply that he'd forget to care for his own son.

"Yeah..." His voice trailed off as he just stared at her. "Thanks for your help. We'll both be alive when you guys visit." He offered her a dead smile.

Alya sighed, shaking her head before she turned over and walked into the living space. She looked back at Louis who cuddled with his stuffed toy.

She opened the door, pausing as she noticed Nathalie walking up the narrow pathway to the front door.

Alya pressed her lips together, not totally wanting to be apart of Nathalie's potential intervention.

The woman looked down at Alya her eyes scrutinizing over her before Alya offered her a weak smile.

"Good luck." She breathed, ushering herself out the door.

Nathalie watched Alya haul ass out of the walkway and she then allowed herself in.

Adrien glanced up, catching Nathalie walking through the door and closing it behind her.

"What- are you doing here...?" Adrien asked, feeling unsure. His green eyes glared up at Nathalie as she approached him.

"Your father is concerned. No one has seen you in almost two weeks. You aren't showing up to work...you don't visit..." Nathalie replied.

Adrien nodded, dipping his bread into his coffee, remaining impassive.

"So you mean my father is looking for his marketing device." He sighed, leaning against the counter of his kitchen.

Nathalie sighed, shaking her head as she expected that response from him.

"You know, when your father lost your mother, he often worked to keep himself occupied. It took away from his pain, and he produced great things." She encouraged, her eyes looking down at Adrien's bread as he dipped it into his coffee.

Adrien nodded, a soft hum emitting from his throat.

"Oh, right. That's why he never leaves his house then..." He deadpanned in response.

Nathalie leaned on to the counter, placing her hands on to the countertop.

"What I'm saying is, it's a good idea to get out and get back into your normal routine. Staying in here and wallowing in your sadness, won't get you anywhere. You'll only bring yourself down. I know its hard, but you have to do it. It's your responsibility." She explained. "You don't want to make your father anymore upset than he is..."

Adrien rolled his eyes.

Why did he care if his father was upset?

His father never cared for him. Adrien expected his father of all people to care. To understand what He was experiencing.

But Adrien remembered one thing.

That his father would never change, no matter how hard he tried to.

The model glanced up at Nathalie with a blank expression.

"So whose going to watch my son?" He asked.

Louis looked up at Nathalie with a grimace. He buried himself into the sofa, hiding beneath the blanket.

He just wanted his mother.

"There's still no sign of Ladybug or Chat Noir..." Lila sighed, her hands on her hips as she stood on top of a building.

She had gotten wind of an abandoned factory just outside of Paris. She had set refugee there, all of the people she had captures with shards of glass remained with her there.

"Perhaps I should return to Paris to stir up some stuff. That'll sure lure them..." She sighed, turning over to look at an open window. The female poked her head inside, her eyes glistening over her army of zombies.

For a moment, Lila had forgotten they were real people. People that had been missing from Paris for weeks.

She was causing families pain as they were searching for their loved ones.

They were starved, they were weak and if Lila had to let them die as well, then she would.

The female laughed, glancing back to look at the Eiffel tower in the distance. She rubbed her chin, glaring at the symbol of Paris.

"Maybe I need to go back and recruit..." her voice low and menacing.

A purple ray flashed just in front of her eyes, and Hawkmoth was in her head instantly.

"That's my girl..." He murmured.

Adrien stood in his dressing room. He could barely hear the commotion going on behind the door.

He didn't really care for the lifestyle anymore. He wasn't ready to return to work either and Adrien had a sour taste in his mouth. This room had way too many memories for him.

His green eyes glanced over to the rack of clothes that he had modeled for over the course of three months.

Adrien could almost spot Marinette standing in the middle of the room, fiddling with the dress that she wore during their first photoshoot together.

He remembered the sofa that she held him close to her chest while they made love.

It was also the same room he had last saw Lila in. On the other side, Adrien could see Marinette standing in the doorway with her sundress and flats. Her hair would be in a cute bun on the top of her head and with a genuine smile, she'd open her arms out to him.

"It's like I can see her in every piece of my life..." Adrien whispered, feeling Plagg poke his head up from the collar of his shirt.

Plagg glanced around the dressing room before he floated up towards Adrien's face to meet him eye level.

"I say we ditch this place..." the kwami muttered, his forehead puckering in distaste.

Adrien sighed, wandering over to the racks. His fingers casually ran through the hangers, his eyes lowering to the wedding dress Marinette had modeled.

The blonde immediately pulled away, an unbearable pain in his chest. His green eyes turned over towards Plagg who looked up at him with a grimace.

"Yeah, I can't do this..." Adrien murmured, looking around for a window somewhere. He didn't care if he had to jump. Adrien wasn't really feeling like Chat Noir, and he knew that he leapt from the window as himself, he'd plummet to his death.

It was a similarity he wasn't quite fond of.

"Alright Plagg. Just get me to the bottom, and I can walk from there. If I get hit by a bus, I'm fine with that too." He joked coldly.

Plagg rolled his eyes, crossing his small arms as he floated closer to him.

"J-Just...say the words already."

Adrien grinned, turning over to open the window. He peaked through, looking at the busy city below, hundreds of feet away. He glanced up, looking at the clouds in the sky and he sighed.

"Plagg, claws out..." He murmured, his voice a little less than enthusiastic.

It only took moments, and in a flash of green, Chat Noir had climbed out of the window and whisked himself away without being seen.

Chat had landed in an alleyway safely. He undid his transformation and soon Adrien walked back on to the streets.

Plagg remained hidden in his collar, occassionally glancing up to console Adrien when he was about ready to go off the deep end.

The blonde stuck his hands in his pockets. He was intent on going home, but he couldn't help but to wonder if part of Nathalie's advice was right.

His friends had been constantly bitching lately that he was sulking. He was neglecting Louis as a father, and neglecting himself as a person. He knew that some time would heal his pain and perhaps some distractions could do him good, but the thought of leaving his home to continue life almost felt impossible.

Life will go on without Marinette whether he liked it or not, but a life without Marinette or Ladybug was not a life he wanted to live.

Adrien almost felt numb, he was weak, he was tired and mostly he was dead. He was going through the motions instead of living life, and the more he thought about it, the more he realized that was how he always lived.

He was ashamed, he took things for granted and he didn't realize it until it was too late.

Adrien reached up to run his hand through his hair. He pressed his lips together, suppressing the pain that threatened to immerse him.

"You know, even when you don't try. You are absolutely breathtaking..." a voice emanated from behind him.

Adrien paused, knowing that voice all too well.

He turned around, his eyes connecting with Lila's, and for a brief moment he felt rage.

"Hm..." He muttered, his eyes looking below before they wandered back to her face again.

"Thanks." He replied sarcastically. "Got a new diet to pair it with..." He looked at her coldly, his heart racing as he turned away and began to walk.

Lila chuckled as Adrien coldly turned away from her and began walking down the narrow street.

"You know, I've come to see you for a reason..." Lila inquired, slowly sauntering her way in his direction.

Adrien pursed his lips and he nodded, catching her eye as she walked beside him.

"Oh? So you've come to kill me too?" He asked, his brow perking. It wasn't like he hated the idea anyway.

Lila rolled her eyes, a smirk on her face as she had expected Adrien to be this way towards her. She killed his wife. Lila had the mindset that she had just gotten rid of a problem. Since the very first time she met Marinette, she was a problem.

She had always said that if Marinette wasn't in the picture, Adrien would finally get his priorities in order.

"Need I remind you that I can manipulate time and mind..." Lila chuckled, standing in front of him.

She slowly wrapped her arms around him. "I can help you forget this pain..." her eyes glanced down. "And of course, congrats on your weight loss. You look incredibly good." She chuckled, pulling away from him, the smirk on her face still in good posture. "But yes, I'm the manipulator you've always sought me out to be. It's too bad I don't have a villainous name like everyone else..." She murmured, pursing her lips.

Adrien stared at her blankly, anger rattling his veins before he opened his mouth to speak.

"Murderer sounds like a fitting one for someone as disgusting as you, Lila..." He replied coldly.

Lila widened her eyes briefly before they narrowed. Her fists clenched and she turned to face him.

"You know you're bold..." Lila murmured through her teeth. She reached up, pulling shards from her earrings and lacing them around her knuckles. "Especially knowing what I'm capable of doing to you. We can see whose acting coldly when I get those jewels to Hawkmoth and everyone in Paris is enslaved to me forever..."

Adrien kept his cold gaze on her.

With his heart slowing down in his chest he approached her, moving in on her until she was cornered against a wall.

"And what will happen after that?" Adrien asked, his brow perking. "Hawkmoth gets rid of you after using you for what he needs, and your life will still be as empty as the day you became a murderer..." the model replied, the lines under his eyes deepening.

"And then you'll be just as empty as I am, when everything you've ever lived for is pulled out right from underneath you..."

Lila kept her gaze firm on Adrien, her heart racing in slight fear as she had seen something in him that she didn't see there before.

The two remained still, glaring at each other before Adrien pulled back and turned away.

Without another word, he began to continue walking his way home.

Lila watched him, her eyes staring into his back at his words swam around in her head.

Hawkmoth wouldn't just get rid of her once he had the jewels...would He?

Lila shook her head, ridding those thoughts. She was the manipulator. She wasn't going to let Adrien get into her head.

"Leave him be..." Hawkmoth's voice rang in Lila's head as he spoke to her. "Resume your mission into finding Ladybug and Chat Noir..."

Lila nodded, hesitantly turning away but not before looking back.

Adrien briskly walked along the pavement, his eyes staring directly in front of him.

Plagg poked his head up, looking at Adrien with a grimace.

"A-A-Are you Okay?" The kwami asked, feeling anxious of the answer.

Adrien paused, a small smile appearing on his face as he formulated a new goal in life.

"Of course..." a menacing grin appearing on his lips that almost made Plagg cower in fear.

"I've never felt better..."

A/N: Y'all Okay?

Anyone trust me on this yet?


	23. Chapter 22

"No! I don't want to hear it!"

Adrien flinched at the sound of his own voice. He turned over in bed, his heart aching at how cruel he was.

"I took your word for it, Marinette! I freaking trusted you! I TRUSTED YOU!"

"No, A-A-Adrien i-i-i-it wasn't-"

Adrien breathed out, seeing Marinette reach out to him as she attempted to reconcile.

"LET GO OF ME!" DON'T TOUCH ME!"

Adrien furrowed his brow. He turned to his side, burying his face into the pillows beside him.

"Listen to me, Marinette. Listen to me real good."

His own voice echoed in his head as it was cold and firm.

He could still remember the way Marinette looked up at him, her eyes glossened over with tears and her cheeks grew pink as she cried.

"I hate you... I freaking hate you..."

He hissed, looking her straight in her beautiful pained blue eyes.

"Do you hear me? I. HATE. YOU."

Adrien felt like the air was knocked out of him.

Why?

Why did he say that?

"Tell Louis mommy loves him.

Tell Adrien I love him..."

Adrien looked into her tear filled eyes, seeing her breathe one last time before she leapt.

"NOOO!" Adrien wailed, his heart aching painfully as he opened his eyes in the dark.

He could see Marinette laying beside him in bed. She was looking up at him, her eyes still filled with sleep. A weak smile spread across her face as she glanced up at him shyly.

"My love..."

She breathed. Her voice echoing in his head.

"Marinette." He sobbed painfully. "I don't hate you. I didn't hate you." He reached over to her, his hands gripping into the sheets as they came up empty.

She wasn't really there.

"No, no, no, no, no..." He cried, reaching for her pillow. He buried his face into it, still smelling her on the cotton. He hugged the pillow to his chest painfully, gripping on to it tightly as he was almost sure he couldn't bear this pain any longer.

"I don't hate you..." He whispered, tears falling down his face rapidly. "No...I don't hate you. I don't hate you, I don't hate you. I don't hate you. I hate myself..."

"I wouldn't do that..." Plagg reprimanded, looking at Louis who stood on a chair to grab a reading book.

The toddler smiled, grabbing his favorite bed time story book. When he couldn't sleep, Marinette and Tikki would make him warm milk, tuck him in and read him stories until he was able to fall asleep.

Louis kept a hopeful smile, grabbing his book and holding it to his chest. He climbed off the chair carefully, looking over to Plagg excitedly.

The toddler couldn't sleep, and he really wanted to ask Adrien to read him a bedtime story like his mother used to.

Plagg shook his head, he hurt for the little one. All he wanted was to spend time with his father but Plagg knew it was only a pipe dream. Adrien was in no way shape or form ready to bond with Louis, despite how much Louis craved his attention.

Telling by the way Adrien was screaming in the next room, Plagg could tell he was having nightmares again.

He worried that Louis was setting himself up for a huge dissapointment.

The toddler remained hopeful, giving Plagg a reprimanding glare. He knew his father was having night terrors, and what better way to cheer him up than with a cuddle and bedtime story.

"I wouldn't count on it..." Plagg sighed, sitting on the toddlers bed.

"How about we eat cheese instead. Stuffing myself completely on cheese is how I fall asleep." The kwami rasped, nuzzling into Louis' pillow. "If you want, I can share some of my cheese. So take the offer and sleep. Because when you're older, you won't be able to do it anymore."

Louis looked at the book and then back at Plagg. The toddler made a face at the thought and smell of Plaggs favorite cheese.

As tempting as it didn't sound, Louis had to pass on that offer.

The toddler wandered back over to his bed and climbed into it. He sat down, looking down at the book in his hands before he looked back up at Plagg with a hopeful smile.

"Read?" Louis asked, offering the book to Plagg. He opened the book and pointed to the words, showing him his favorite pictures that Marinette used to show him quite often.

"Me? Read bedtime stories?" Plagg asked, his green eyes widening. "No, no. I don't read bedtime stories to children. I'd rather do the sleeping." Plagg yawned, floating back to his designated pillow where he and Tikki used to sleep where they kept watch over Louis.

Louis watched the kwami lay back down. He looked down at the book, attempting one more time to get Plagg to look at the pictures with him.

"Hm?" The toddler mused, his smile dropping as Plagg remained obdurate and turned over against the pillow.

Louis sighed, looking at the book bedore eventually deciding.

He was going to ask his father to read it to him.

The toddler slowly climbed out of bed, keeping the book at his side as he opened the bedroom door. He poked his head out in the dark hallway before he slowly walked out.

Plagg turned over, his eyes watching as Louis left the room.

Perhaps he should have attempted to read the book.

Adrien couldn't unsee it.

It was already past midnight and he felt like he was a lost cause. He was going completely insane

All he could do is lay in the dark, fighting the agonizing pain of life. Everytime he closed his eyes he kept seeing Marinette.

She was falling.

She was reaching out to him, her eyes wide and full of tears.

And each time, Adrien jumped after her.

And every single time, he failed.

He kept hearing the sound of her body smack the ground over and over again.

His fingertips were on hers, and in a brief moment he was back at square one.

Marinette had leapt once again, and Adrien ran in after her.

His heart raced as he saw her face, and Adrien was prepared to witness her die. He reached for her, and she reached back.

His eyes widened as he caught her. He was going to save her life and take her home, but something grabbed him.

Lila had grabbed him, and Marinette had just slipped through his fingers yet again.

"No!" Adrien called, throwing his arm against the person stopping him from getting to Marinette.

Adrien heard a small whimper in the dark.

He opened his eyes, watching as Louis fell to the ground, dropping his bedtime story.

Louis gulped, not entirely prepared for his father to push him away with such an angry force.

Adrien sighed, relieved yet angry to see Louis at the same time.

The blonde ran a hand through his hair as he tried to calm down from what he was seeing in his head.

"Louis, I said not to come in here so late..." Adrien breathed, his body and mind still shaken from the constant nightmare.

Adrien reached over for Louis, ready to help the toddler back to bed, but Louis immediately grabbed his book, his eyes blinking with fear before he scrambled back to his feet and rushed out of the room.

Adrien sat up, watching his son leave the room, emptiness suddenly enveloping him once more.

Perhaps his words were a bit harsher than he had intended.

Plagg floated up towards Adrien's bed, shaking his head as the kwami himself who was selfish, perhaps more selfish than any being in this world, felt that Adrien was being selfish.

"Nice job..." Plagg muttered, leaving his chosen behind in the bedroom.

Adrien sighed, laying back down into bed. He ran his hands through his hair, staring up at the ceiling.

Louis climbed back into bed, holding the book to his chest as tears filled his eyes.

He sniffled, clutching on to the story book. He closed his eyes, nuzzling into his pillows as Plagg returned to him.

Plagg looked down at him, almost worried that Louis would become subjectable to becoming akumatized. That was something Plagg wouldn't have been able to handle.

He had a soft spot for the child, and there was no doubt about that.

Plagg moved down, prying the book from Louis' hands before he opened it to have a look at the pictures.

"What about this one?" Plagg asked, pointing to a photo of a mother rabbit holding her baby rabbit.

Louis sniffled opening his eyes to Plagg pointing at his favorite photos.

The toddler smiled, his cheeks still wet with tears.

"Y-Yeah." The toddler replied, his voice quivering with sadness. "Mommy..." He murmured, pointing to the mother rabbit. "I like a mommy babbit..."

Plagg smiled, looking at the photo of the mother rabbit.

"Me too buddy, I like the mommy rabbit too..."


	24. Chapter 23

Chat Noir chewed on his bottom lip, his green eyes surveying the likes of Paris. It took Adrien almost all the willpower he had left in him to put the costume back on and get his ass back to work.

It didn't help that his relationship with Plagg was a little strained. The little kwami didn't quite like the way he was treating Louis or the way the little kwami was being treated himself.

Plagg swore that it was like working with another Hawkmoth. Adrien had become cold, abrasive and uncaring to anyone and anything that once showed an ounce of love toward him.

Everyday was a dark day, and Adrien only found himself withdrawing from everyone he knew.

Before he knew it, Alya had been taking care of Louis full time. Nino had stopped by to talk to Adrien but Adrien only kept himself away.

He spent most days alone, shunning Plagg, Louis and his friends. Adrien spent time alone, away from the world brooding over old photos and crying to the point of numbness.

It was only up until a few moments ago that he decided he'd tie up loose ends. Ladybug was no longer around and despite how much Adrien wanted to let the world rot, something in the stars told him to put an end to it.

And so, Adrien began to look at it as more of a job rather than a passion to do what was right.

Lila had taken everything left inside of him, and ripped it to pieces, leaving him high and dry before eventually dunking him in water until he drowned.

And Adrien drowned.

He had been drowning for weeks. He was washed into tides and kept under to the point where he completely died.

He was a walking shell with no soul left inside.

Adrien contemplated suicide. The thoughts were so strong as of late, and Adrien planned many ways to manifest his self hatred to something else but all his attempts were in vain. The nightmares only continued, and with the lack of sleep he found himself slipping into insanity.

He was not Adrien anymore, but something that Hawkmoth and Lila created.

Except this time, this monster had a miraculous that he could do whatever he wanted with.

The feline dragged his weapon against the rooftops of abandoned buildings, his eyes casually catching glimpses of pieces of glass scattered about.

It was no surprise that Lila had recruited quite a bit of her zombies, and Chat had recalled that a few weeks ago while looking for Marinette, Alya had suggested they'd follow a trail.

Which they had done and it worked.

The feline crouched down, retracting his weapon as he picked up a few shards of glass on the ground. He lifted it, examining the fresh blood on the pane, and wondered just how recent Lila was here.

The Cat was determined to pick up on her trails and find out where she was hiding.

Had it not been for her carelessness and her messiness, the task would have been a little bit difficult.

"That's very smart..." Ladybug murmured from behind him, the heroine crouching down to peer at the piece of evidence from behind him. "Just track her down by the trails she's left behind..."

Chat chuckled, standing up straight as he dropped the glass to the ground.

"Of course you'd say that..." He chuckled, turning around to face her.

His brow furrowed, his eyes blinking as Ladybugs face was a distorted blur. It was almost as if it was a scribble instead of a face. "You're just a figment of my subconscious..." He explained to her, his voice trailing off. "You'll say what I'm thinking. Or I'll say what you're thinking..."

Ladybug cocked her head to the side, her voice humming softly.

"Did you forget me already?" She asked, tucking her hands behind her back.

Chat glanced at her with a grimace. He didn't want to say he forgot her, but it was true that a lot of his priorities were all messed up.

"I could never forget you..." the feline breathed, his heart aching at that thought. "You had beautiful bluebelle eyes, cute little freckles on your cheeks..." the blonde smiled at the memory. He glanced up at Ladybug, the features of her face slowly coming into view as he remembered them.

"You had such frilly lashes, and pretty pink lips with a button nose."

Ladybug smiled at him, her blue eyes reaching his, and Chat Noir felt incredibly sad. Everytime he remembered her, the more sad he felt. It was as if he had to conjure her up so that he had some sort of comfort.

"What happened to your sense of humor, Chat Noir?" Ladybug asked, walking over to the edge of the rooftop to have a look at the empty streets.

"You used to dance me up in the sky at any chance you got. You dished out terrible puns. I miss the excited grin on your face when we both succeeded in fighting..." Ladybug looked back at him.

"No more fist bumps, no more puns... You don't even smile anymore." She frowned, turning to face him once more. She crossed her arms, offering the hero a playful pout.

"You aren't the playful kitty I remember..."

Chat frowned, shaking his head.

"You're quite a convincing entity..." He told her, his heart squeezing as he wanted her to be real. "But I'd think even you would know what the problem is..." He sighed, walked over to her so that he could stand at her side which was something he felt like he was born to do.

"It's because you're gone. Everytime I try to reach for you, it's like you dissapear over and over again. I can't take it anymore..." Chat breathed, tears beginning to sting his eyes once more.

Ladybug glanced up at him, she leaned against the ledge, her blue eyes still fixated on her kitty's pained expression.

"Am I really gone?" She asked, perking a brow. "I wouldn't be standing here if I was really gone."

Chat sighed, reaching up to quickly wipe his tears.

"That's not the same...You're not really here. You're just...apart of my memory..."

Ladybug smiled sweetly and she leaned closer to him.

"That's exactly it. I live through your memories. I live through Louis' existence. He was a part of me, and he's still apart of you... the fact that you remember me, still means I'm living in my own way..."

Chat breathed out, his eyes closing tightly as he tried not to overwhelm himself once more with sadness.

"I just-" he bit his lip, his hands clutching on to the ledge. "I just don't know if I'm strong enough to go on without you anymore..."

Ladybug hummed, standing up straight beside him with a hopeful smile.

"Don't be silly. You were the strongest kitty I know." She murmured, glancing over at him as he looked down in agony.

"Whether I'm here or in the skies, or if I exist in your memory...We'll always be an unstoppable team..." she whispered, holding her fist up.

Chat couldn't look at her. He knew how these things went. The moment he touched her, she would dissapear again. That's how it played out when he spotted her laying beside him in bed.

"Pound it-"

Her voice faded away just as fast as it came, and much to Chat's dismay she was gone. The blonde closed his eyes and he wept.

He cried more than he had in a long time.

And he was drowning yet again.

He extended his weapon into the hard roof beneath him, and his pain brought him back down to his knees. He gripped on to his weapon, hoping that it would give him the strength to get back on his feet.

The feline looked up at the sky, feeling a raindrop land on his head.

He blinked, standing up and holding his hand out with a desperation to feel anything else. Chat glanced down at his palm, capturing the rain in his hand and within a few moments he was numb yet again.

Nino wrapped the blanket around young Louis, propping him up on pillows in front of the television.

Nino tried not to put anything on tv that would have potentially disturbed Louis' peace of mind.

It was being mass reported everywhere that Marinette who was soon to be married to Adrien Agreste, was murdered in cold blood for the entire city to witness.

That was the last thing Nino wanted to do.

Even he noticed a lot of similarities between Adrien and Louis.

What once was a confident toddler who enjoyed playing around, had become cold and neglected.

Louis was self conscious and had seen the world with an eerie shadow.

His mother was gone and his father didn't love him.

The toddler attempted to wipe away his tears with his favorite blanket.

Louis was still visibly upset at the way his father pushed him away. His blue eyes grew pink and swollen and he hid under his blanket.

He didn't care for the cartoons on T.v. and he didn't care for the chicken nuggets that Nino had prepared for him.

He just wanted to understand.

Nino watched the little one hide away with a grimace and a heavy heart.

He wanted to be angry with Adrien, but as time went on, he couldn't get through to him.

Adrien built his walls and army. No matter how much Nino tried to climb it, there were always a row of thorns waiting on the other side.

Nino glanced down the moment his phone began buzzing in his pocket. The male quickly grabbed it, swiping the screen and answering the call.

"Hey-" Alya greeted on the other side. "How's Louis doing?" She asked, her voice strained at the thought of Louis isolating himself once more.

Nino sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Not well. He didn't eat anything I prepared for him. I know his favorite was nuggets, juice and Applesauce. He refuses to touch his favorite meals." Nino explained. "He just...lays there..."

Alya sighed on the other line.

"Just...keep him away from the news. I saw another report on Marinette at the office..." she murmured. "I know Chat went out to find Lila and I'm not entirely sure what he plans to do, but I'd make sure that Louis stays away from all of that."

Nino hummed in agreement, his eyes glancing over to the toddler who remained hidden.

"I can't say I agree with you any less..."

Lila sighed, sitting on top of boxes and boxes of an old abandoned pillow factory.

It had its perks at night. Lila never went to sleep without a pillow, and when she was hungry all she had to do was possess someone to get food for her.

It was like nothing ever changed. Lila always manipulated people into doing what she wanted and she was just okay with that.

She looked down at her army of zombies, some of them were starved and some of them were freshly recruited.

Lila knew she had to keep her stock high in case some of them died off.

She didn't care.

She got rid of Marinette and that was her goal from the very start.

The light of dawn casted eerie shadows in the factory. The dust on the window pane blurred the light as it entered and Lila sighed, leaning back against her palms.

It got kind of boring after some time and Lila could only wondered where Ladybug was.

She wondered if the death of Marinette shook both heroes to their core. She wondered if they felt guilty of their failures.

Of course with Chat being the only one to witness it in person, he'd be the easiest to manipulate into giving up his jewels.

It was a piece of cake. The grieving and the agony was great pleasure for her.

The massive grieving was perfect growth for victims subjectacle to both her and Hawkmoth. The perfect recipe for disaster and Lila was living for it.

"I wish I had come up with such a unique supervillian name..." Lila sighed, placing her arms behind her back and nicely dangling her legs.

She looked down at one of her "servants" randomly pointing to him.

"You!" She called out. "Come up with a unique name or you're dead."

The male blinked at her, he glanced around with confusion.

His zombie mind couldn't come up with creative names. All he knew was to protect and serve Lila.

He could have been a writer in his past life before he was dedicated to Lila, but he wouldn't know that. Neither could Lila.

She didn't have power to read minds, but she did have the power to manipulate them with the appropriate assets.

The female laughed, hysterically.

The reached up to toy with her earrings.

"I guess you're completely useless..." she murmured, a menacing grin on her face as she looked down at her chosen.

"Now now...what to do with you..." she bit her lip, contemplating ways that she could put an end to this poor fools life, not caring if he had a family back home.

The more grieving, the better.

It was perfect.

"I think Murderer fits you best..." a voice emanated from the dark window above.

The voice was so sudden, it caused Lila to jump from where she lay. She looked up, her brow furrowing as Chat jumped down a leverage. He stood face to face with her as he extended his weapon, forcefully banging it against the wall.

"It's very unique. They're only fitting for people like you..." he elaborated. "Plus it's very true. We want a name true to your nature..."

Lila chuckled, her arms crossing as the hero was very bold to find her.

"Oh? So you've come to get your fingers burnt..." she deadpanned, crossing her arms. "Did little kitty set up an investigation to locate me? Or did he decided to give up his jewels without a fight.

I think that would be the smarter choice." She replied, her voice taunting and satiric. She placed her fingers under her chin.

Chat glanced up at her, the tired lines under his eyes deepening as he almost felt angry seeing her. The sound of her voice brought back a slew of memories that would constantly break him down over and over again.

He couldn't be that guy anymore. He needed to finish this once and for all.

"I've come to end this, Lila..." Chat Noir muttered. "It's gone on for way too long..."

Lila snorted, not feeling an ounce scared to his threats.

"Okay, Kitty. And where's your owner? Are you hiding her somewhere?" She asked, a teasing tilt in her voice.

Chat looked at his weapon, lightly banging it on the walls casually.

"Ladybug won't be joining us this evening..." He then looked at her.

"But I'd like to get this over with..."

Lila rolled her eyes, his cockiness beginning to annoy her.

"Ah, confident kitty is back." She hummed, jumping off her throne of boxes and landing in front of Chat.

"But I think you're forgetting something. There's only one of you...and about fifteen of us..." she gestured, her eyes glancing at her army of zombies as they soon closed in on him.

Chat stayed put, retracting his weapon and fiddling it with his hand.

The feline glanced up at Lila, a cold hard stare filling his pupils that it even made Lila uneasy.

"You'd be surprised..."


	25. Chapter 24

Adrien always made a mental note to make it a point that he was numb.

He felt nothing, he gave nothing and at this very moment he took nothing.

As far as he was concerned he was an empty shell, wading through the waves of life. Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months and months turned to an eternity.

Of course it wasn't like so. But when he was suffering, the days were relentless. He felt like he was never going to be himself again.

It was the same thing different day.

Adrien didn't want to live like this if this was going to be his new norm.

_"Your stupid smile makes me mad. I could just hit you. " _

Her voice was like a sweet song that was stuck inside his head over and over again.

_"Take your best shot."_ He teased her playfully.

He remembered her playful glare and her concentrated expression when she kissed her fist and tapped his jaw very lightly with it.

_"Was that the best you got? -Could use a little work."_

Marinette never had the strength to give him brutal hits, no matter how much he attempted to push her to it. Even while he was against her during their fights she always went easy on him.

Adrien appreciated how gentle she was, even when he pushed her buttons and she had slapped the crap out of him.

He bruised like a canelope and the play fights they had when she was alive would probably be the thing he missed most about her.

Because they were harmless.

But this fight.

This fight was definitely not one of those fights.

Numb? Yes, emotionally.

Physically? Not entirely so.

Chat found the air knocked out of him the moment his body slammed into the opposing wall of the factory.

He managed to take out most of her zombie army, but every once in a while Lila would jump in, taking him out with a swift punch each time.

Chat wanted not to care, but it was very hard not to at this point.

Whatever happened to him, would happen. That didn't matter. He didn't care about himself anymore.

But at the same time, he couldn't let Lila win. He wouldn't allow Marinette's death to be in vain.

Chat dodged, leaping away from shards of glass that pierced the wall right beside his face.

"Oh!" Chat breathed out. "So close-" he shook his head, throwing his foot into the gut of a police officer zombie who was ordered to hold him down.

Chat extended his weapon, holding on to it as it hoisted him just above the pile of zombies who began to climb up the length of his staff.

Chat lowered himself back on the ground, flipping his staff and throwing the zombies at Lila who was nearly able to dodge most of them.

"Gotta think fast!" Chat teased, wiping blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. The feline climbed on to the broken window pane, cursing as there was glass everywhere.

He wasn't sure which glass belonged to her and which came from the window.

Granted, he didn't want to injure himself on any of them, but he'd rather get poked with one instead of the other.

Lila grunted, throwing a sweet nurse off of her.

She glanced back, glass knocking out of the skin of those she had taken control over.

A lot of them too tired and weak to acknowledge their freedom.

Lila couldn't focus on that right now. Even if it meant losing out on her army, she couldn't stand the cockiness and teasing Chat Noir kept spitting towards her.

All this time Lila though she had him pressed right under her finger. She was almost positive that he was a crumbling time bomb, completely vulnerable and ready to explode.

She intended to use his weakness for her own benefit, she made sure of it.

"Seems like kitty is very cocky..." she spat, her fists clenching as Chat shrugged, a sly smile on his face before he climbed out of the window.

"Looks like you have to catch me!" He called out towards her.

Lila grit her teeth. She was not going to play games.

Immediately the brunette took after him.

She reached up towards her earrings, picking them apart and lacing the glass against her knuckles.

"You want to play this game, Chat?" She mused, shooting the pieces towards him with malicious force. "We'll play that game-"

Chat glanced back, his heart racing as he bounced from building to building.

The pieces whisked past him, his hair moving with its trajectory as he was lucky enough to dodge as many hits as he could.

He jammed his weapon into the side of a building, leaping in between them in an attempt to hide himself.

The feline continued to move, wondering the ways he could grab her akuma. He wouldn't know how to purify it, but he had hoped he could get it away from her until he could figure something out.

Chat paused, his eyes widening as he saw Lila on the other side of the building. He turned, attempting to move away, but couldn't as Lila grabbed his tail and slammed him back into the wall.

Chat grunted in pain, the soreness immediately shooting throughout his body.

Her grit his teeth, retracting his weapon and immediately aiming it towards her.

The weapon extended, slamming into her stomach, throwing her back a few feet.

Chat turned, lowering himself back on the ground before he continued to run pausing by a lamp post and climbing up the pile, before he began to leap from light to light.

He breathed out, worrying it was a little too risky to be on the ground.

He had no idea where he had dropped her, but he knew she could have been anywhere.

Chat was growing so tired of her.

So so tired of her. If he ever lived through this, he was more than sure that he didn't care to see her ever again.

Akumatized or not, she killed his wife.

That was something he had to live with forever.

* * *

Alya sighed, watching the barista pour her cup. She crossed her arms, feeling incredibly antsy as she just wanted her drink so she could return to work.

She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, distracted for only a moment as she heard a bit of commotion outside.

She paid no mind to it.

She had a lot of things in her mind that she wanted to sort out. She shared coffee in this very same restaurant with Marinette. It was there go to spot.

Alya was slowly coming to terms with Marinette's death, but it was incredibly sad.

She knew that if Adrien wouldn't keep well to his problem, she and Nino would.

Louis was going to be cared for by them as much as they could. Alya and Nino really did love Louis, but Alya wondered if it was enough.

She worried that Louis was going down a dark path, and no matter how much she and Nino wished to shield him away from it, that fate started to seem inevitable.

"Alya..." the barista called, placing her cup against the counter.

Alya glanced up, offering him a weak smile before she grabbed her cup and hauled out the door.

The brunette barely got two sips of her coffee when she was forcefully pushed out of the way and back against the door of the shop.

She gasped, her cheeks turning red as she spilled a bit of her coffee on her blouse.

She sighed, glancing up at the commotion.

Alya moved her way through, her eyes catching glimpses of the media, news stations and bystanders watching in horror.

Alya furrowed her brow, her eyes straining to see what the commotion was all about.

Her grey eyes widened as she spotted Chat fly through the side of a building.

She flinched as glass poured everywhere.

Alya trembled, watching Chat nearly fall to the ground before Lila caught him and threw him across the road.

Chat skidded against the pavement, remaining a grunting heap against the ground.

Lila gripped him once more, throwing him around like he was some sort of toy, and each time she made sure he landed back down harder and harder.

Alya immediately turned away, seeing where this was heading, especially with the media crowding around them.

She grabbed her phone, dialing Nino's number in her phone and then pressing it to her ear.

She paced around nervously, sighing as it felt like Nino was taking forever to respond.

"Hey-" Nino greeted on the other line.

"Nino!" Alya immediately interjected. "Make sure all the doors are locked, closed the windows and whatever you do, please make sure that Louis stays away from the tv."

Nino stuttered on the other line, already set to follow orders but was very confused.

"W-Why? Alya what happened?"

* * *

Chat was almost sure he lost this battle, and mostly he was drifting in and out.

He was in a great deal of pain, and just as he was sure to get back on his feet Lila would throw him across Paris like he was some sort of rag doll.

Chat fell into the ground, his body rolling against the grass before he smacked into something hard and cold.

He breathed out, the taste of blood in his mouth becoming overwhelming.

Chat glanced up, feeling his cheek swelling up slightly from the hit. He pushed his fists into the ground, attempting to get up. A sharp pain radiated through his shoulder and Chat dropped back into the grass once more.

Chat's cat like ears flickered, his heart hammering as he could hear Lila's laugh. The brunette landed on a lamp post a few feet away from him.

"Look at that!" She chirped excitedly. She picked the glass from her earrings, reloading her ammo into her knuckles once more.

"This looks veeerrrryyy familiar. It seems its fate! You are exactly where you belong..." she bit her lip, a small giggle emanating from her lips.

Chat frowned, the pain beginning to fade. Anger quickly began to fuel his veins, and Chat opened his eyes. He reached up, grabbing anything as a leverage to help him up before Lila could attack him again.

He grabbed on to a cool substance and Chat mistook it as a rock or some sort of monument.

His heart sank the moment he realized that it was a tombstone. His eyes widened, fear etching on his face as he saw her name.

Chat didn't even realize he had been thrown into the cemetery where Marinette was laid to rest.

Lila was trying to get under his skin again. She had thrown him here on purpose. She wanted to break him by reminding him.

As if he wasn't already haunted by the memory of it every time he slept or in his everyday life, here she was rubbing it in his face.

She kicked him down and spat on it.

Chat kept his eyes on Marinette's tombstone, his face falling immediately.

He could hear Lila's laugh very faintly behind him, and Chat was more than sure she was going to attack him.

" Mommy would do anything to save you-"

Marinette's voice echoed in his head.

His mind immediately began to race.

"I'm pregnant-"

Her voice running through his head over and over.

His brow furrowed, his eyes growing dull as the memory of her laying beside him in bed.

She glanced up at him, a weary smile on her face.

"My love"

Chat couldn't cry anymore and no matter what he did, he couldn't accept that the girl he loved ever since he was fourteen was gone.

She was not coming back. She was taken away from him for good.

Because of Lila.

All because of Lila.

As if she felt she had the right to purposely take someone's life and constantly laugh about it.

Chat stood up, a cold hard stare festering in his orbs as he glared up at her.

His face remained impassive as Chat had become numb, once again.

Chat coldly extended his weapon, the blunt object immediately plowing violently into Lila's face.

Lila grunted in pain, not entirely expecting Chat to retaliate so fast. Lila saw stars, her hands reaching up to grab her face as she lost her balance and fell backwards straight into the ground.

Chat began to drag his weapon against the ground. He kept his eyes on Lila as she rolled over to her stomach. She crawled up on her hands and knees, blood pouring from her nose as the bruise began to swell.

Her eyes widened as Chat approached her from behind. She immediately began to crawl away, but Chat had a hold of the back of her suit.

Chat lifted her, grunting as he threw her over his shoulder.

Lila immediately began to kick and scratch. She was losing blood profusely and she was growing more and more weak.

Chat glanced up at the Eiffel tower. With a one track mind, he pushed past the crowds of people who began to surround them with pictures and questions.

Alya glanced up at Chat, a frown growing on her lips as if Chat showed no emotion.

He was like a robot, just doing what he programmed to do.

Alya couldn't understand. He had her in his grasp. The akuma was right in his grasp.

Why wasn't he grabbing it?

What was he doing?

The brunette pressed her lips together, her heart racing as she watched Chat approached the Eiffel tower and began to climb up the structure very slowly, purposely dropping Lila on each leverage as he made his way to the top.

Alya had a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Chat!" She called out, immediately taking off after him. "Don't!"

Chat threw Lila up on the last floor of the tower, landing right beside her.

The blonde turned, his green eyes glowering towards the ledge where he last saw Marinette.

It was an eerie feeling, to be back where he was the day when his reason for living completely ended.

Lila groaned behind him, coughing as the bleeding finally stopped but she was dizzy.

"Looks familiar doesn't it..." Chat murmured, his eyes fixated on the location in front of him.

His eyes remained wide, almost traumatized as he could see Marinette right there, looking at him with tears in her eyes before she leapt off on Lila's order.

"You just like to gloat, don't you?" Lila mused, slowly rolling to her back so she could look up at him.

"Throw me around, and then take my akuma, huh? I guess I underestimated you..." she reached up to wipe some blood away from her face.

Chat blinked, each time he blinked the silhouette of Marinette faded away.

"No..." He breathed out softly before redirecting his gaze towards Lila.

"Take your akuma?" He repeated to himself, shaking his head. "I think I have a better idea."

Lila paused, furrowing her brow. She slowly smiled, glancing up at him.

"What? Decided to give up?" She asked, chuckling as she attempted to stand up but couldn't.

Chat slowly approached her, his gaze towards her still empty. "Yes. I'm giving up..." He conceded, lifting his hand palm up so she could get a good look at it. "This superhero thing isn't for me anymore..."

Lila widened her eyes, chuckling as a smile grew on her face.

Perhaps she'd finally manipulated him far enough for him to willingly give his jewels. It was a piece of cake.

Sure she got dinged up and bruised along the way, but it was well worth it.

All she would need is Ladybugs earrings and the deal would be done.

Surely if Chat Noir wasn't around, Ladybug would come out of hiding and then Lila would have her trapped.

She couldn't work without Chat, it would be easy as pie to grab her earrings then.

"You don't have to be a hero..." Lila murmured. "You can give your ring to me, and all the responsibility is gone." She smiled. "Give up your miraculous."

Chat moved closer to her, his eyes looking down at her as his gaze grew more menacing.

Lila blinked, her smile fading as she noticed his stare.

"That's not how this is going to play out, Lila..." Chat muttered, clenching his fist as he called his cataclysm.

A black mass formed around his fist as he activated his power.

Lila's eyes widened, her heart beginning to pound in her chest.

"What...you're going to kill me?" She asked, perking a brow.

Chat faced his palm towards her, his glare growing harder.

"Exactly. You're dead, Lila..."

"Chat, stop!" Alya called from behind the hero. "This isn't you!" She breathed, her eyes wide.

Chat's grip on Lila only grew tighter. He wasn't going to let up.

Alya ran towards them, grabbing Chat's arm and wedging herself between the two of them, forcing Chat to drop Lila.

"What would Louis think?" Alya whispered, her eyes looking into Chat's eyes. "He looks up to you..."

Chat's expression only darkened, his brow furrowing. "No, he doesn't..." his eyes flickered back to Lila who began to scoot away.

"Killing her isn't what you need to do..."Alya whispered. "Louis would be dissapointed. How do you think Marinette would feel?"

Chat shook his head, his palm still up and ready to use.

"Murderers need to die..." He muttered coldly.

Alya widened her eyes, her heart aching as she was beginning to see what Chat had become.

"So you'll become a murderer too? Look, we are all mourning, Chat. We miss Marinette, we all wished we could have done something to save her...but we have to keep moving forward. We need to keep her name alive by doing whats right and holding to her promise. Don't let her death be in vain."

Chat grit his teeth. He couldn't accept it.

The only way to end his pain was to get rid of Lila.

It was an eye for an eye. He was suffering, so now her family gets to suffer too. His green eyes glanced over towards Lila, who had managed to take advantage of the distraction and laced glass into her knuckles, aiming it straight towards Alya's back.

Lila immediately shot the pieces towards Alya.

Chat immediately wrapped his arm around her, throwing them both out of the trajectory. Alya grunted as they both rolled on to the ground.

Chat pulled himself away from Alya awkwardly. He jumped to his feet, his heart racing as Lila ran towards the ledge and escaped.

"Damn it!" Chat cursed through his teeth, glaring back at Alya who just got back on her feet with a grimace.

"You saved her life, and she was still willing to screw you over." Chat breathed. "You wanted to defend that?!"

Alya blinked, she knew he was right, but she wasn't going to let him kill her either way.

"There's got to be a different way. You kill her, then you're just like her!"

Chat grit his teeth, shaking his head before he used his other hand to grab his weapon. He extended it, leaping away from the tower in an attempt to find her.

Alya stood on top of the tower, completely helpless as she watched Chat dissapear into the sky.

* * *

The sky had seemed to darken, and Chat came up empty. He knew Lila wouldn't be stupid enough to return to her hiding spot.

He was growing frustrated. He returned to the abandoned factory just in case, but to no avail. She was not there.

Chat sighed, landing on top of a roof. He glanced around, desperate to see Ladybug anywhere when he felt alone. But there was no one.

It was empty, he felt empty.

Chat shook his head, leaping in the direction towards him home.

The blonde landed in the back of his home, he nudged the window open, climbing into his bedroom.

He shut the window behind him, his heart aching as he was starting to feel again.

The bed remained the same. Marinette's side of the bed remained untouched. The hero was beginning to feel overwhelmed.

He wasn't strong enough. He couldn't do this without her. He didn't want to do this without her.

It was his fault. Had he not given her the earrings for a gift, she would have been able to save herself.

Chat breathed out, almost reaching up to pull his hair out.

He paused, pulling his hand back to glare at it.

His cataclysm was still wrapped around his hand, and Adrien truly felt himself go into a dark place.

The blonde sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes glancing up at the diamond stud earrings that sat on the bedside table.

The earrings Marinette wore when she was killed.

The earrings he gave her. The earrings she chose to wear when her life was ended because of him.

Chat breathed out, his eyes watering as he could just barely see Marinette in the bed beside him.

She smiled, reaching out to him just before she dissapeared.

He missed her.

He missed her so much. He missed the way she reached out to him. He missed how antsy she got and how clumsy she was.

He missed the way she said his name.

He missed having her beside him. He was so empty, and he felt so guilty.

Chat couldn't do it, he just didn't have the strength to continue.

Chat breathed out, facing his palm towards himself in a swift motion to press it against his chest. He was going to end it all. He wouldn't feel this pain anymore.

Chat opened his eyes, the moment he felt someone grab his wrist, preventing him from moving any further.

His eyes glanced down, ready to push whoever it was away but paused.

Louis looked up at Chat, his eyes widened with tears as he was about to witness his father end his life right in front of him.

Chat relaxed, his eyes watching his son who cried, his face eerily close to his cataclysm.

"N-no more..." Louis cried softly. "You won't do it anymore, right?" He asked, his words a little broken from his babble. His cheeks grew pink as the toddler sighed.

Chat felt his heart sink.

He was just a dissapointment after dissapointment.

Chat wasn't aware when Louis had stumbled into his room, but he was glad he did.

Chat reached over, placing his hand on the diamond stud earrings on the bedside table, disintegrating them into dust within seconds.

Louis' blue eyes glossened with tears as he watched his father look back at him.

Chat wrapped his arms around Louis, bringing him to his chest and hugging him tightly. His body trembled, he couldn't fight the pain any longer. He squeezed his son tightly, crying into him.

A/N: unbeta'd sorry for any grammatical errors. I admit this was poorly written. Been having trouble getting my imagination into writing.


	26. Chapter 25

Lila staggered into the woods, she was incredibly weak and sore.

She had managed to escape from Chat's grasp by the scraps of her fingers.

She had only barely just made it out alive.

Lila had a hunch that Chat Noir was upset over failing to save Marinette, but she didn't know that it would lead him to kill.

Lila's plan had been working so far up until that point. She was supposed to tear him down until he was completely vulnerable, she didn't expect that to turn into a murderous rampage.

Chat was too strong, she saw something in him that was definitely not there before.

Lila paused, her eyes widening as the purple butterfly appeared in front of her eyes.

"Where do you think you're going?" Hawk moth spat, his voice ringing throughout her head.

Lila frowned

"I-I'm weak. I can't fight him...He was trying to kill me." Lila explained, her heart racing.

"We made a deal...get me his miraculous and find Ladybug..." He replied.

Lila shook her head.

"If I go back, he'll kill me..." she breathed. "I...I didn't realize that Marinette could have been a better distraction. I didn't think that her death would have driven him to kill me. I'm not strong enough to face him. He's gotten through my recruits, and he seems indifferent to my attacks. Every attempt I've made he just grows stronger..."

"I don't care-" Hawkmoth interjected.

"I gave you the power to manipulate time and mind. I asked for the miraculous in return. Don't fail your end of the bargain..."

Lila's eyes widened.

Her power to manipulate time and mind.

"That's right..." she breathed. "My power. I can bring Marinette back..." her heart raced at the realization. "I can undo her death. I can coerce ladybug out of hiding, and Chat would be too preoccupied with Marinette he wouldn't have the heart to kill me..."

"You're not going to do anything-" Hawkmoth retaliated. "You are going back for Chat's miraculous the way we originally planned it. We use Adrien's pain and sorrow to get him on our side to fight against any other possible hero's that come against us. You will get me Ladybugs earrings and you will not use your power to manipulate time until I say so...and if I have to make any sacrifices by any means necessary, then so be it..."

Alya fell to the ground, her eyes beginning to well with fear.

"B-but, if I go back... Chat Noir will kill me. He will murder me, and I don't mean it sarcastically. He's trying to fucking kill me because of Marinette."

Hawkmoth chuckled.

"Whatever becomes necessary..."

Lila couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Hawkmoth was going to do anything he could to get their miraculouses, even if it meant Chat killing her in retribution for Marinette.

Her hands gripped into the dirt, tears beginning to pool at the edges of her eyes.

Did Adrien end up being right all along?

Hawkmoth was only using her, and once he got what he wanted, he would dispose of her.

Even if that meant death.


	27. Chapter 26

"You know you're being selfish..." Plagg muttered, watching as Adrien brooded over a photo he had of Marinette and Louis.

Adrien perked a brow, his green eyes shifting to scowl at his kwami.

"I'm selfish?" He asked, feeling completely dumbfounded at the observation. "That's quite of a bold statement coming from you, Plagg..."

Plagg glanced up at him, crossing his arms as he peered away.

"Exactly. If a selfish being is actually calling you selfish, that should mean something. You don't care for me, you don't care for Louis, you don't care for any of your friends. You're allowing this to eat at you. Everyone sees it..."

Adrien frowned, Plaggs words hitting close to home.

"Louis thinks I don't care about him?" He asked, reaching up to nervously rub the back of his neck.

"Of course!" Plagg instantly retaliated. "You completely ignore him, you never come out of your room and last time he came to you for a bedtime story and you threw him aside." The kwami shook his head at the memory. "You're being completely cold to him, treating him the way your father treated you when you lost your mom..."

Adrien rolled his eyes, turning over to face Marinette's old desk. He was going through her old items that Nino and Luka had brought back from her old office at work.

"Plagg, I was having nightmares. I didn't mean to push him away like that. I got up to help him and he ran away from me. I don't come across as my father, I'd like to think he was a lot more unreasonable when he was grieving..." his voice trailed off. He sighed, realizing how much his father was probably grieving. "But it could always be worse. I love Louis no matter what..."

Plagg turned, looking at Adrien in disbelief.

"Denial at its finest..." he muttered, floating up towards his chosen's ear.

"Keep telling yourself that. But if you end up lonely with no one to turn to, don't come crying to me or admitting I'm right. It'll be too late because you pushed away everyone whose ever loved you..." Plagg moved, floating towards the door before pausing and looking back at him

"I'm sure Marinette would be dissapointed to see what you've been up to..." He uttered out before eventually leaving.

Adrien glanced over, staring at the door as Plagg left him completely alone.

"I don't ignore Louis. Do I?" Adrien asked, turning over to look at Marinette who lay on the bed, hugging her pillow.

"Our baby has been feeling empty lately..." Marinette conceded, moving to the center of the bed. "This is one thing I can't agree with you on." Her blue eyes looked up at him. "But I am dissapointed..."

Adrien frowned, glancing at the mirror where he failed to see Marinette. He sighed, reaching up to run a hand through his hair as he allowed it all to set in.

"You're dissapointed in me?" He turned back over to look at her.

Marinette was a scrambled mess, her figure fading in and out as Adrien became less and less focused on her.

Her figure appeared in front of him and she sat on the desktop beside him.

"I wouldn't say in you...but in the promise you made me. Louis always came first..." she explained. "I died so that we could protect him, so that he could continue to live a happy life. Our son is not happy..."

Adrien looked up at her.

"He's not happy because of me..." He sighed, shaking his head.

"My love..." she murmured, lowering herself to meet his gaze. "Louis is apart of me..." she whispered. "My blood and your blood runs through his veins. I live through him..."

Adrien reached up, rubbing his chin aggressively.

"I fucked up..." He muttered, closing his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose.

How could he have been so stupid?

He didn't mean to neglect Louis. He was so preoccupied in wallowing in his misery he was pushing his loved ones away.

"It's not too late..." Marinette assured, she reached over to touch his face and Adrien felt nothing.

The moment they touched one another she began to fade away.

As much as Adrien missed her touch, he simply couldn't have it. She was not here with him. His imagination could not touch him, and that was all she was.

She was a figment he subconsciously used to comfort himself.

"You can make it right..." she whispered, her voice now disembodied as she was now nowhere in sight.

Adrien reached up to touch his cheek. He felt a horrible sense of wanting.

He glanced at himself in the mirror, judging himself.

The blonde stood up, exiting his room. He wandered over to his kitchen, grabbing the coffee pot.

Plagg sat on the kitchen table, ushering Louis to eat his food, but Louis wasn't feeling his appetite.

It was late at night and he wasn't looking forward to crying himself to sleep as he always had.

His nuggets were cold, his juice remained untouched and his applesauce remained at room temp.

Adrien poured himself a cup of coffee, glaring down into his mug as he tried to come up with the right words to say to a toddler.

Louis looked up at Adrien quickly climbing off the chair and leaving him behind.

Adrien watched with a grimace as it was very obvious that Louis didn't want to be around him.

Plagg shook his head, instantly levitating off the table and following the little one to his bedroom.

Adrien remained silent, tapping his fingertips on the sides of his coffee mug as he contemplated.

The model placed his mug on the kitchen table and followed the pair to his room.

He reluctantly opened the door, peering his head inside.

Louis lay in bed, facing the other way. Plagg nuzzled himself into the pillow beside the toddler.

Adrien felt so defeated he was almost ready to just close the door and hide back in his room.

"It's okay..." Marinette stood behind him, she shyly tucked her hands behind her back as she glanced up at him.

"He's your son. He'll love you no matter what..."she assured, her voice a soft whisper.

Adrien pressed his lips together. He opened the door, carefully stepping inside.

Louis sat up at the sound, looking up at Adrien.

Adrien felt his heart sink into his stomach.

It was a daunting kind of sadness. It was the same haunting look Adrien wore for years since his mother dissapeared.

His blue eyes told centuries and centuries of sadness and silent stories of untold suffering of lonely.

Adrien was inflicting that same kind of pain on his son.

The pain his father passed on to him, he was inflicting on his son.

As much as Adrien wanted to deny it, he couldnt.

He was ending up like his father.

His father was cold, his father never cared and his father always left him eating dinner by himself.

Adrien looked down at Louis before he carefully approached the little one and crouched down.

"Louis..." He murmured, reaching up to brush his fingers through his hair.

Louis blinked, gripping on to his blanket and shifting to face him better.

"I'm so sorry..." Adrien murmured. "I haven't been around lately. I've been a little mean, but that's going to change..." He glanced up at Louis, his heart racing as Adrien realized just how similar eyes he and Marinette had.

He definitely had his mother's eyes, and it brought him such comfort.

Louis blinked, a small blush on his cheeks as he glanced down at Plagg who looked up to him.

"I say it's a trap..." Plagg whispered, floating up towards the toddlers shoulder. "I wouldn't fall for it..."

Louis shook his head, giving the kwami a playful reprimanding glance.

All Louis ever wanted was to have his father's attention, and for the first time in such a long time, it appeared his father was willing to give him individed attention.

Adrien cupped the little toddler's face before he wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close.

Adrien pressed his lips to the top of his sons head over and over again.

"I'm so sorry for all the times I've hurt you. I'm sorry for all the things you've seen, I'm sorry for leaving you alone..." Adrien pulled back to look at his toddler.

"I'm sorry I made you believe that I didn't love you..." the model brushed his fingers over his sons cheek.

Louis glanced up at Adrien as he apologized, his eyes filled with curiosity.

A small smile appeared on his lips as he carefully pulled away and reached under his pillow.

He pulled out his favorite nighttime story once more and carefully offered it to Adrien with a hopeful smile.

"Babbit?" He asked placing it on Adrien's lap. "A mommy babbit!" The toddler smiled ushering Adrien to open it.

Adrien chuckled, thankful for the kind heart that Louis was born with. He was definitely a piece of Marinette.

"Mommy rabbit?" Adrien asked, climbing on to Louis bed and leaning back on the pillows.

Louis smiled, excited that his father was willing to read his favorite book.

The child climbed into Adrien's side, nuzzling into him before he grabbed the blanket and attempted to pull it against the both of them.

"Mommy babbit!" Louis exclaimed, pointing at the photos he liked the moment Adrien opened the book.

"Oh wow. That's a pretty cool rabbit." Adrien gasped. "That's the one you like?"

Louis nodded in response and then he pointed at the baby rabbit.

"You like?" He asked, pulling back to look at Adrien.

Adrien chuckled and nodded.

"Yes. I like the baby rabbit and you can like the mommy rabbit."

Louis smiled, nodding proudly.

Adrien reached over and gently began to play with the little ones golden hair.

"Did mommy use to make you warm milk?" He asked, looking over to the little one.

Louis reached up and rubbed his eyes as the memory.

He nodded shyly, looking up at him.

Adrien turned the page on the book, pointing at another photo.

"Is that the mommy bunny again?" He asked, smiling down at Louis who then reached for the book and glanced at the photo again.

"Mommy bunny" he confirmed, placing the book back into Adrien's lap.

Adrien laughed softly, pulling Louis close to him once more. He pressed his cheek into the top of Louis' head before he pressed another gentle kiss to his head.

Adrien closed his eyes, feeling Louis reaching over and turning the page to have another look at the pictures on the other side.

Plagg floated between the two of them. He nudged into Adrien with a puckered brow.

"Perhaps some warm milk might help Louis feel more at home. When Marinette and Tikki were around they'd whip up some warm milk, bring me some extra cheese then tuck Louis in and read his favorite bed time story." The little kwami explained.

Adrien smiled, reaching over to rub his kwami's head tenderly.

"I doubt that Marinette and Tikki loaded you with cheese, but I guess I can take that into consideration. Only because you've been putting up with me." He explained.

Plagg smiled obnoxiously.

"Of course!" He snorted, his tiny little body swinging side to side with anticipation.

Adrien scooted Louis into his lap, ready to carry the little one to the kitchen if need be.

The model paused, looking back at Plagg who was about ready to call it a night.

Adrien looked down, climbing off the bed with Louis in his arms.

"Look-" Adrien sighed. "I'm not one hundred percent better. I'm still going through a hard time..." Adrien explained. "The last thing I want to do is make you feel like I don't care about you anymore..." Adrien nuzzled into his toddler, his heart aching at the thought of his little one believing that Adrien did not love him.

"I'll have my dark days, and I'm not sure when I'll be able to truly feel like myself." The blonde looked back to his kwami.

"But I'm grateful that you guys are still here. I'm sorry for what I've done and what I may do in the future..." Adrien murmured.

He kept Louis on his hip before turning and leaving the room.

Louis held on to Adrien, his blue eyes watching Plagg who sat on his pillow, allowing Adrien's words to swim in his head.


	28. Chapter 27

_"You have a very goofy face-" _

Marinette's voice teased him.

_"My love..." _

His heart ached at the sound of her voice.

He wasn't truly healed. It was going to take some time. Everywhere he looked, he only saw her, he heard her in his head. He was constantly dreaming about her.

Adrien constantly wondered what would have been if she had lived. If they would have had another boy or a little girl. He wondered how beautiful she'd look when he first saw her walk down the aisle.

Adrien could almost feel how warm her hands where when he'd take it in his and shared their first dance as husband and wife.

He should have died beside her. He loved Louis, he really did but Adrien often found himself unable to be strong for him.

"Dadda?" Louis asked, suddenly pulling Adrien away from his train of thought.

Adrien blinked, glancing down at the pot of milk he was heating up on the stove top. The blonde reached down, lightly caressing the soft hair on his son's head before pouring the warm milk into a sippy cup and screwing the cap on. He put some on his wrist to make sure it was the right temp before handing it to the toddler.

Louis smiled, standing on his tippy toes to grab the sippy cup and pressed it to his lips.

He took a sip and hummed, turning around in circles before he wandered over to the sofa.

Adrien shut off the stove, turning to look at Plagg nuzzling himself into Louis' hair and falling asleep.

He glanced outside, his lips pursing as the sky was beginning to darken. The male carefully approached his toddler who drank the warm milk from his sippy cup.

"Hey buddy..." Adrien murmured as he plopped down on the space beside him

Louis immediately held the sippy cup in his teeth and climbed into Adrien's lap.

He pressed his cheek against Adrien's chest and held the sippy cup with his other hand.

The toddler stared blankly ahead, his mind occassionally wondering towards Marinette. The child carefully pulled away with a grimace, pulling the sippy cup out of his mouth.

"Mommy?" He asked, his blue eyes glancing up at Adrien with a soft pout.

Adrien looked down at him. He leaned down and kissed the top of his head, closing his eyes as he thought for awhile. He wrapped his arms around the little one, hugging him close.

"Let's...try something new tonight. You want to go on an adventure?" Adrien asked, perking a brow as he pulled back to look at his eccentric toddler.

Louis smiled, nodding his head. He held on to Adrien as he stood up with his baby.

Adrien returned to Louis' room and placed him on the bed. Adrien searched through his closet, grabbing a little sweatshirt and then zipping it up on Louis.

Adrien helped the baby out of bed and grabbed his keys. He then grabbed Louis favorite storybook to which the toddler held the book to his chest.

Adrien lifted the toddler up into his arms and he hugged him tightly as they left

* * *

"You are my sunshine...

My lovely sunshine..." Adrien sang, holding his child close to him as he walked down the silent street.

Louis looked up at his father, smiling sweetly before he closed his eyes and swayed to the sound of the song the way his mother used to when Luka played her music.

"You make me happy...

When skies are gray..."

Adrien looked up to the sky as he sang, the clouds were indeed covering up the skyline, casting an eerie shadow against the city during the night.

"You never know, dear...

How much I love you..."

Adrien gently pressed a small kiss to Louis' head as the crossed the street and into the entrance of the cemetery.

"Please don't take my sunshine away..." the blonde glanced down at his son who looked up at him with a small smile.

The little one suckled on his pacifier before he leaned up and pressed the back of the pacifier to Adrien's cheek in a swift peck.

Adrien furrowed his brow and laughed at the notion. His little toddler pecking his pacifier against his cheek as a kiss.

Adrien paused, moving his eyes together and sticking out his tongue.

Louis giggled, wiggling in his arms at the gesture before his blue eyes glanced around their surround area.

Adrien held the toddler close to him, his heart sinking at the familiar row of tombstones that decorated the area.

Adrien frowned, his eyes capturing the sight of Marinette's parents bent over his fiance's tombstone.

Tom glanced over, spotting Adrien and giving him an awkward smile.

Sabine wiped a few tears away from her eyes before she leaned into Tom.

Both of her parents fixed up the flowers to her grave and Adrien sighed, willing his feet to approach them.

Adrien found it difficult since Marinette's death. He couldn't find it in himself to face her parents especially knowing she was at fault for her death.

"Hey, it's been awhile..." Tom murmured with a weary smile, his arm wrapped around Sabine as she finally fathered the strength to pull away from Marinette's memorial.

Adrien nodded, a frown tugging at his lips at Sabine's condition. Louis held on to Adrien, whimpering softly at his grandmother's distress.

"Yeah. Life has been pretty...hectic..." Adrien conceded, watching as Sabine glanced over to Louis.

"It all seems like one big nightmare..." She breathed, her face pink from crying. "We keep thinking that our only child will come home, but it feels like she's gone away for a long trip..."

Louis looked at Sabine with a grimace.

Sabine gently reached out to Adrien, taking the little toddler gently from his arms.

The woman gently hugged the little one, looking up at Tom as he wrapped his arms around the both of them.

"It's strange. We were so stressed when Marinette got pregnant. We had wished for things to be different at the time, and now we are incredibly grateful that it happened. Otherwise we wouldn't have anything left of her to continue to grow..." Sabine murmured, pulling back to look at the little one.

Adrien looked down, his stomach doing flips as he recalled that Marinette was pregnant or at least thought to be when she was killed.

The thought that he was responsible for the cost of not one life but potentially two was eating away at him.

"Do you think we can take him tonight?" Sabine asked, cuddling Louis close to her.

Adrien blinked, glancing down at the book Louis held against his chest.

Adrien knew that Marinette's parents were grieving. They wanted to keep what was left of Marinette and bond. Adrien wanted that, he would have never taken that away from Sabine and Tom, but there were some things that he had to do first.

"Would it be okay to drop him off tomorrow night?" Adrien asked. "Louis and I have a few things to catch up on..." his voice trailed off as he looked at his son.

Sabine frowned, feeling reluctant to give him back but paused as Tom placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"It's alright..." he whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to her head. "He needs some time with Louis too. We've all lost someone we loved with everything we had..."

It had been weeks before Sabine actually felt like she could function. It had been days and days and days of pure sobbing, her holding Marinette's baby photos and her baby clothes. She had fallen asleep in Marinette's old bed, waking up to an agonizing pain that her only daughter was gone forever. She had tried medication, therapy and over all crying to attempt to get herself back on track, to at least eat and sleep again.

The only hope she had left was Louis. It was the only flesh and blood that Marinette had left behind for them to love and Sabine was set on seeing Louis as much as possible simply because she saw Marinette when she looked into his eyes.

"Y-you're right..." Sabine breathed, reluctantly handing over the child back to Adrien with a tear stained face.

"Please don't forget to see us tomorrow night, okay? We'll make him the same pies Marinette enjoyed when she was his age."

Adrien took Louis back into his arms, the little one not completely thrilled that he was being passed around quite a bit.

"I won't forget. I promise..." Adrien assured, watching Tom gesture Sabine out of the cemetery as she seemed like she needed to be convinced to do that as well.

Louis kept his eye on his grandparents, a slight grimace on his face as his lips pouted beneath his pacifier.

Adrien watched Marinette's parents leave and he turned his attention to Louis.

"Alright." He breathed, moving forward towards Marinette's tomb.

He paused, glancing up at her stone. He placed the younger one on the ground, resting his hand on the marble before he looked at Louis who glanced up at the stone curiously.

The toddler reached up, curiously touching the smooth pattern of the stone.

Adrien stuffed his hands into his pockets, contemplating how he was going to word this.

"Mommy isn't coming home..." Adrien explained, glancing at Louis who looked back at him with wide eyes.

Adrien approached the little one, picking him up into his arms.

"You see, mommy got hurt... And in order for her to heal, she had to go away into the sky..." He murmured, watching Louis look up into the cloudy grey skies. "So, to remember her down here. We put a stone here, so when we talk to it, we hope that she can hear..." Adrien explained, not sure how to tell his son that his mother's body was under the marble.

"So what she left behind sleeps here. So we visit mommy while she's asleep..." Adrien pressed his lips together as the toddler looked at his mother's tombstone.

"Mommy seeping?" Louis asked, pressing his head against Adrien's chest.

"You see, mommy had a baby in her belly." Adrien breathed, his heart aching at the child he never got to meet.

"T-T-The baby didn't want mommy to sleep alone. So the baby went into the sky with mommy too."

Louis frowned. He wondered why he didn't get to sleep with mommy like this other baby did but he had a feeling that his father needed him more than his mommy did.

"You see, mommy and daddy were always a team-" Adrien murmured, his voice cracking slightly to which Louis cuddled into him, hoping to ease his pain.

"But its just you and me now..." Adrien's eyes watched the tombstone, his heart aching. "So we have to be a team. Okay?" He mused, looking back down at the toddler and bouncing him on his hip.

"Team?" Louis asked, his head wrapping around the fact that his mother was never coming back. He missed her terribly, but Louis couldn't quite understand yet.

Did mommy just go away and they will meet her later?

But he was now a team with his father, and the thought of his father behind his best friend was the best feeling in the world.

Adrien breathed out, attempting to calm himself before he became a sobbing mess in front of the little one.

He had to be strong.

"S-So I thought we could read mommy a bedtime story. Spend some time with her like we used to..." Adrien suggested, grabbing the book from Louis' hands and carefully sitting on the ground.

Louis glanced up at Adrien before leaning against him. The toddler watched as Adrien opened the bedtime story book with the family of rabbits.

"Can you show mommy what was your favorite again?" He asked, chuckling softly. "I think she might have forgotten it."

Louis giggled softly, excitedly leaning over to turn the pages to find his favorite mommy rabbit.

"A mommy babbit!" He exclaimed around his pacifier. "Babbit Babbit babbit!"

Adrien snorted.

"Yes! Although we can call the bunnies too!" He replied, nuzzling into the little one.

"Bunnies, rabbits, they all multiply large families on their own-" a sharp voice emanated from behind the boys.

Louis gasped, glancing back at who spoke to them.

Adrien felt his blood grow cold at the sound of her voice. Adrien always found himself being pulled back from her.

He was digging himself out of the funk he was in, and the moment he floated to the surface to actually breathe air, he was pulled back down by her once more.

He took a few steps forward, and she kept tugging him backwards.

He leapt towards Marinette and each time he got close, she tugged him back.

Adrien immediately held on to Louis tightly, standing up and turning to face Lila.

"What do you want?" Adrien muttered coldly. "Back to rub things in my face again?" He asked.

Louis flinched, holding on to his father's shirt nervously.

Lila rolled her eyes, a small sigh escaped her lips and she crossed her arms.

"Your friend Alya..." she deadpanned. "Where is she?"

Adrien furrowed his brow, his heart racing as he wondered if she had planned to murder Alya next.

"Why do you care?" Adrien asked, his glare remaining cold towards her.

Lila sucked her teeth, clenching her teeth.

"She is friends with Ladybug, isn't she? I need her to tell me where she is, or where she's hiding."

Adrien chuckled, his stare still cold as he reminisced that Lila had murdered ladybug in cold blood.

"Waiting for Ladybug to kick your ass?" Adrien asked satirically, perking a brow.

Lila waved him off dismissively. She had a lot more things to worry about rather than taking hits from Adrien.

"No..."she sighed. "I know Ladybug and I aren't on good terms, but I know she wouldn't let Chat Noir kill me." She conceded. "Chat Noir...He will kill me."

Louis' eyes widened at the sound of her words, his brow furrowed and he looked up at Adrien with a puzzled expression.

Adrien narrowed his eyes.

"And what makes you think I'll help you?" He asked, his blood growing cold once more.

Lila glared back at him, slowly approaching him to which Adrien cowarded Louis.

"Because then I'll have to take this cute little one from you. Don't give me that option..." she threatened, her voice growing cold as she glowered her eyes down at Louis.

Adrien felt his heart quicken as he stepped back, not allowing Lila to get any closer to them.

"You touch him and I will kill you myself..." Adrien muttered, his expression remaining hard as Lila rolled her eyes and dismissed them. She turned on her heels, casually moving away as she placed her hands on her hips.

Louis whimpered, hiding his face into his father's chest as he had a bad feeling that his mom went to sleep because of her.

"Don't be so hostile. We all know Marinette fucked anyone she could get her hands on. That baby looks like Nathan." She replied coldly. "That's all Marinette was, a dainty little whore who deserves to rot in the ground..."

Louis pulled back, tears pooling in his eyes at the thought of his mom laying in the ground feeling cold and lonely.

Adrien glanced down, his heart slowing down as he began to feel numb once more.

He couldn't help but to think back to those times Marinette had spent with Nathan.

He rememebered the misunderstandings and the pain they both went through afterwards.

But Adrien knew Marinette. She wasn't like what anyone had said. Louis was born long before Nathan had come into the picture.

Adrien had no doubts that Louis was his son.

It was devaluing to hear someone say that about the woman he loved in front of their tombstone and in front of their son.

"Nathan's child..." Adrien pulled back to look at Louis who glanced back up at him with wide terrified blue eyes.

Lila hummed, turning back to look at him with a weak sly smile.

"I'll help you..." Adrien murmrued, catching Lila's attention almost instantly.

"What was that?" She asked, turning to face him.

"I'll help you..." Adrien stated once more, rolling his shoulders.

Louis sniffled, feeling conflicted and unsure of what his father was planning.

"I'll talk to Alya. I can convince Ladybug to protect you..." Adrien murmured, his face impassive. "She can keep you safe from Chat Noir. He'll have no mercy on you..." his voice trailed off.

Lila perked a brow, keeping a safe distance between the three of them.

"Oh yeah?" She mused, catching her lip between her teeth. "And what's the catch?" She asked, walking and pacing in small circles.

Adrien shook his head.

"There's no catch..." the blonde assured. "Just to keep my son safe. If Chat Noir is on a murderous rampage, then we all need to be safe..."

Lila narrowed her eyes, reluctant to accept Adrien's proposal.

"Where do you propose I meet ladybug to talk to her more about this?" She asked, her body coming to a standstill as she glared at Adrien and Louis.

Adrien shrugged, pressing Louis closer to his chest to keep him away from looking at Lila.

"What do you say I have Ladybug meet you at the Notre Dame. Perhaps tomorrow night?" He asked.

The blonde knew full well that Ladybug wasn't going to show up, she had been buried beneath their feet for a couple of weeks.

He knew that Louis would he safe with Sabine and Tom like he had promised to drop his toddler off. Tomorrow night would have been a perfect time to take care of things.

Adrien was back on his old motto

He was to get rid of Lila. She would only keep pulling him back if he didn't.

"Very well then..." Lila turned around, ready to leave them both behind.

"The Notre Dame...tomorrow night."


	29. Chapter 28

Rain.

Chat Noir hadn't felt it in such a long time.  
It was cold, and he glanced up at the sky as he stood in between the two towers on the west facade of the cathedral. His hand reached up, capturing the cool rain drops on the palm of his hands.

It was as if the sky cried, and though he believed he had enough of it, he couldn't help but to feel that his heart poured out into the streets. He was a cat led astray, and even though he was once the vengeful cat in the night, he was completely lost.

And he definitely wasn't vengeful. He felt nothing.

The feline closed his eyes, relaxing as the rain continued to fall against him. He opened his eyes, not once flinching as the thunder erupted. His cat like ears flattened against his head and he turned, his eyes glancing up at the spire of the building.  
The hero moved towards one of the towers of the Notre Dame, running his hand between the gaps and admiring the large bell inside.

He wondered if Lila had planned to show and taken his word for it.  
Granted, she did have a thing for Adrien that appeared to be short lived due to her desire for power and greed, Chat had hoped Lila was still foolish enough to trust him.  
Chat found himself growing distant, and at that point he couldn't have cared less what happened to him.

Lila had beaten him down to a pulp.  
She had planned this. She mentally tortured him, she emotionally tortured him  
She was ruining his life.  
The blonde glanced above him, his pupils narrowing the moment he caught Lila landing on the other side of the spire.  
She stood up straight, looking down at the streets below. She watched as the tourists cleared the way, attempting to move away from the rain.  
Chat Noir remained impassive, moving slowly towards her as he meticulously took each step against the wooden roof of the cathedral.  
His hair was soaked and the rain dripped down his suit.  
Just above the bend, Adrien could spot his fiance's childhood home. He could see the balcony she would stand on many times.  
He remembered before Louis was born how they had broken up, and he returned to her balcony begging for her to take him back.  
His facial expression only grew more grave.  
He couldn't feel guilty anymore. He continued to remember every experience he had with Marinette, and each time he wondered if she would have still lived if they had never crossed paths.

"What are you doing?"

Chat paused as he heard Ladybugs voice in his head. He glanced back at her.  
Ladybug stood just behind him, her arms crossing as she reprimanded him.

Chat ignored her, turning his head and jumping as she appeared right in front of him.

"I know what you're thinking..." she murmured, her blue eyes locked on him as Chat simply walked right through her, forcing her to dissapear as a mist of imagination.

Chat extended his weapon, approaching Lila at full force before he placed the weapon at her neck, pulling her close to him as he held her hostage.  
Lila gasped, her hands immediately gripping on to his weapon in an attempt to pry it away from him.  
Her heart raced at the sound of his cold voice.

She knew what would have happened if they crossed paths again.

"Look..." Chat instructed, edging Lila closer to the edge of the room. Her green eyes glanced down at the drop below. She pressed her lips together as she struggled against him.

"Do you think a fall from that height could kill a person?" Chat asked, his voice remaining eerily calm as he spoke.

"Where's Ladybug?" Lila grunted, squirming in his arms, but also keeping her feet planted to the floor in case Chat decided to push her over the edge.

Chat glanced ahead of him, his eyes fixating on the balcony where he used to spend with his lady.

"She won't be joining us tonight..." Chat uttered out before he ducked his foot beneath Lila, tripping her to the ground. Chat grabbed on to her chest, body slamming her into the old roof. The structure crashed open, sending her flying into the ribvault of the cathedral.

Lila groaned as she landed into the hard floor, her body aching as she turned over into the narrow aisle. Her eyes glanced over the church's pew and she reached for the wood.

Chat extended his weapon, leaping through the roofs opening so that he could land in the narrow aisle beside her.  
He retracted his weapon, keeping a hold of it as his green eyes glared at Lila the moment she began to help herself up.

"What was your plan for me and Adrien, huh?" Chat asked, perking a brow as he began to slowly walk towards her.

Lila immediately began to back away, tripping over debris as she did so. She reached up, immediately pulling glass from her earrings in an attempt to defend herself .  
"To tear us down? To take everything from us so that we were left completely vulnerable to your manipulation?" Chat asked, immediately blocking a shard of glass with his weapon as Lila spiked it towards him.

Lila flinched as her own shards began to fly back at her each time Chat Noir blocked each shard.

Lila rolled over, crawling on her hands and knees before she was finally able to get herself back on her feet.  
She gripped on to one of the pews grunting as she used all the strength she had to pull it off and throw it straight at Chat.  
Chat ducked, getting down on one knee as he looked up at her.

"You didn't expect it to backfire on you..." Chat finished, standing up to extend his weapon to smack Lila with it.  
Lila saw stars as she was plowed a few feet over, her bones aching as she landed on the ground.

She breathed out, her eyes darting over the designs in the walls as she attempted to come up with the last resort she knew.

"Where are you hiding Ladybug?" She asked, her voice rigid. "Why hasn't she come out yet?"  
She climbed back on her hands and knees, scurrying away from Chat with a hushed panic.

"None of that matters anymore..." Chat murmured, his eyes glowing in the dark.  
Lila flinched, the thunder rumbling eerily around them.  
"For the last time..." his eyes glowered down at her. "It's time to end this..."

Lila widened her eyes, fearing the worst. She had one last option available and she was going to grab it.

Within an instant, she leapt, her body moving just above his.

Chat widened his eyes at her sudden movement.  
The boy was stunned as he didn't quite expect her to leap over him.  
Chat was just about to turn when Lila flicked her glass towards him.

His eyes widened at the feeling of a sharp pinch behind his neck.  
The feline dropped his head as Lila landed on her feet.  
She glanced up, her eyes capturing a glimpse of the back of his neck. Her heart hammered away in her chest with a sense of relief and victory, she had finally got him.  
The female breathed, reaching up to wipe some blood from her mouth as Chat dropped his head low.

"You allowed yourself to become a puppet..." She breathed out, standing up straight to place her hands on her hips.  
"You've become the masterpiece of my manipulation..."

Chat Noir glanced at the floor, listening to Lila speak to him before he closed his eyes.

"Manipulation..." he breathed, his head lifting before he slowly turned to face Lila. "You've gained the power to control emotions so that it's easy to overtake ones mind. You used Marinette's fear to trick her into taking her own life. You manipulated your way into being a murderer."

Lila furrowed her brow, keeping her face firm as her eyes met his.

"You've beaten me down into nothing. You allowed me to watch her die. You've forced me to watch her family grieve. You've taken every possible reason for living from me..." Chat reached up to grab the piece of glass from his neck, pulling it from his skin.

Chat pulled the glass towards his face, examining his blood that stained its surface.  
"But can you manipulate someone you've tormented into numbness?" He asked, dropping the glass to the ground as he glanced back at her. "Is it possible to manipulate something with no mind or emotion?"

Lila's eyes widened, her gaze glanced down at the glass Chat Noir simply picked from his skin and dropped it on the ground like nothing

Her heart raced as Chat Noir called his cataclysm. A black mass formed around his palm, and Lila was all too familiar with what Chat had planned.

Ladybug wasn't coming, and Lila knew from the beginning that if she bumped into Chat again, her fate would soon be met.  
No matter how much she begged Hawk moth for an alternative, he had planned for her to die, anything to get the jewels he wanted.

Lila knew that no matter how much she ran from him, he'd always find her. He wouldn't stop until she was dead. Her last resorts failed, her power did not work on him.

He was like a machine that only worked on completing a mission and only then did Lila realize that she was truly fucked.

She barely had any time to think before she realized that Chat was lunged towards her, his death palm out towards her.

The female screamed, immediately throwing herself in another direction to avoid the cataclysmic attack.

Lila plummeted into the podium, shattering it instantly.

Chat nearly toppled over, turning over to glare back at her. He redirected his route, being sure to hold his palm out in a threatening manner.

"Just take your own medicine, Lila..." Chat growled, his green eyes scanning the dark. "Or I'll come find you...I always do..." he murmured coldly.

Lila quivered, ushering herself under a pew.

Chat's ears flickered at the sound of Lila scrambling away to find a place to hide.  
His green eyes flickered in her direction menacingly.  
Lila trembled, tears trickling in her eyes as she could see the eerie glow of his eyes in the dark as his boots began to move closer and closer to her.

She flinched the moment his claws dug into the pews and ripped it out, revealing her.

"Wait!" Lila screamed, her body flinching as she witnessed Chat about to use his cataclysm on her. "I can bring her back! I can bring Marinette back to life!"

The feline paused, his face remaining impassive.

She breathed, her lips trembling as his brow furrowed slightly.  
She relaxed, her hands shaking as she held on to her head.  
"I...I can undo her death. It's my power...to manipulate time..."

"You aren't going to do anything unless I say so..." Hawk moth reprimanded, his voice sharp in her head.  
Lila flinched at the sound. She remained quiet, her heart conflicted as she knew Hawkmoth would end her too.  
Either way she was losing.  
But she needed to do what she knew would save her life.

She glanced up at Chat who remained quiet after some time.

"Liar..." he uttered out.

Lila gulped, her heart beating so fast she almost passed out.

"Chat- no!" Lila screamed as he grabbed her throat by his other hand and forcefully threw her across the worship room with great strength, Lila was almost sure she split her head open.

She wanted to Manipulate Chat into becoming her puppet, and what she ended up doing was turning him into a monster that turned against her.

She knew Marinette and Adrien were close, but she was completely mind boggled how her death had affected Chat.  
She thought that him witnessing her death and the guilt of being unable to save her would break him down along with Adrien, making it easier for her to use him.  
It all backfired.

In the end, she would always end up with nothing like Adrien said.

The female opened her eyes, her mouth bleeding as Adrien gripped her throat once more.  
His green cold eyes glared into hers.

"I hope you enjoyed your time torturing people...because this is the last time you'll even be alive to murder someone else..." Chat murmured coldly before showing her his cataclysm.  
She trembled, her eyes glancing up almost as if they were rolling to the back of her head before they flashed a solid green.

Chat paused, his brow furrowing as he was suddenly jerked away from her.  
Lila fell on to the ground, her hands clenching as she remained limp.

Chat glanced around him, the walls suddenly ripping apart. The ground beneath him began to tremble, and large chunks of the space around him began to fly up into the air.

Lila began to twitch against the floor, small whimpers escaping her lips and Chat reached out to her.  
The feline grunted as he was whisked away forcefully and everything went black.

He felt dead.

He couldn't move. His eyes remained closed as Chat was struggling to remove himself from his slumber.

He heard Marinette sobbing and his heart ached. His fists clenched as he was tired of the same nightmare over and over again.

Lila had traumatized him to the point where he couldn't stop seeing and hearing her.

Chat opened his eyes, his pupils shrinking at the bright light. He sat up slowly, his eyes blinking as he realized his surroundings.  
Lila stood at the ledge of the Eiffel tower, her back faced away from Chat.  
Without looking back, she climbed over the ledge and leapt, escaping before Chat could even get up.

The blonde glanced down at his hand, the area completely silent as Chat realized he was alone once more and Lila got away.

Chat blinked as he began to hallucinate. His heart raced as his mind conjured the figure of Marinette on that ledge, she fell backwards over and over again.  
The blonde stood to his feet, the lines under his eyes deepening as Marinette fell backwards, and then dissapeared before she reappeared at the top.

Chat edged closer to the ledge, both hands gripping on to the bar and he frowned as it crumpled to dust.  
He glanced down, his eyes straining the length of the fall, and even then he could still see Marinette at the bottom, dead.  
He clenched his teeth, his head turning as Marinette reappeared at the top. She breathed out as she fell backwards once more.  
Chat breathed out, his heart aching as he knew this was Lila manipulating him once more.

Even if it was his imagination and even if it was Lila's new manipulation tactic, he couldn't let her fall again. He had always went after her.  
It was in his nature to go after her.  
He didn't care that she'd end up as a mist after he grabbed her as it always did, he couldn't let her fall.

He needed to have her in his arms until she dissapeared.  
The blonde stood on the ledge, watching Marinette fall. He was ready to jump, he was ready to reach out for her.

And just as usual, someone stopped him.

** A/N: Just taking this time out to say this; **

**I can't express the appreciation I have for all of you. For all the readers who've been here since the beginning and new readers just joining into the journey. Thank you all for giving my writing a chance, and thank you for your support against the bullies and your constructive criticism to make me a better writer. **

**I genuinely love all of you. **

**Thank you so so much. **

**I am forever grateful.**


	30. Chapter 29

It was as if it was dark.

There was no sound, there was no air. There was no one else around.

It was like being kept in a prison of darkness, with nowhere to go with nothing to remember.

It was lonely and it was cold. It was a black hole of complete nothingness as there was no sign of life.

All that was left was misery and despair.

After what felt like an eternity and a day, there was a vague light at the end of the tunnel. One that measured hope, and for a major moment there was feeling.

The was warmth, there was happiness, there was a sign.

And in that moment Marinette took her first breath.

Her blue eyes opened as the wind blew softly from behind her. She squinted, the sun almost blinding her and she felt her heart pound in her chest. She reached up, clutching her chest as it was almost beating too fast for her to catch up to it.

She was faintly aware of the bar beneath her feet, and Marinette was grateful.

It was as if time changed. She remembered falling, her eyes locked on to Chats and then everything went black.

She was suffocating and then she didn't exist. Next thing she knew, she was back where she started. She was about ready to fall again, but something had changed.

Chat lay in front of her, his body completely limp his cataclysm still activated in his palm.

Marinette automatically wanted to move out towards him but she was stuck under Lila's command.

Marinette frowned, her heart aching as she was sure Lila was going to make her jump yet again.

Marinette had no strength, immediately she began sobbing. She was going to dissapear again.

The bluenette gasped as she felt a tight grip on the back of her hair. Tears streaming down her cheeks as Lila forced her to look her in the eye.

Marinette trembled, her stomach dropping as Lila looked troubled, her eyes deepened with fear and sorrow.

"I'm not doing this to save your life..." Lila spat coldly. "I'm doing it to save mine..." She reached down to pull the glass from Marinette's neck.

"Control your monster."

Her hand gripped back into her hair again, throwing her back on to the platform towards Chat.

Marinette whimpered as she landed on the space beside Chat.

She felt weak she was tired. She was almost tempted to allow her fatigue to take over.

She glanced up, watching Lila turn her back to them before she took off.

Marinette wanted to go after her, but she didn't have her earrings. She glanced over at Chat, parting her lips to say something to him in hopes that he had brought them, but she paused the moment she saw him slowly rise to his feet.

She turned over, reaching out to him. She lifted herself to her hands and knees. Her eyes widened, watching Chat lift himself and wait. His expression was grave and Marinette had began to worry.

She remembered that Lila had called him a monster, but that wasn't the Chat she knew.

The female remained skeptical as she couldnt quite trust Lila. She had every reason not to.

Lila was a liar.

Marinette willed herself up from the ground, her breath steady as she finally got up on her feet.

Chat heaved in front of her, his shoulders trembling as his eyes widened with complete fear. He touched the bar ledge, the material crumbling as he unintentionally used his cataclysm.

"No-" Marinette breathed, her blood growing cold as Chat was going to jump. She began to run, her muscles aching as Chat climbed on to the ledge.

"Chat!" She called out, her hands finally wrapping around his arm. The blunette blushed, using all the strength she had left in her to keep him still.

Chat quickly glanced back at her, their eyes connecting instantly.

Marinette felt her heart sink.

Chat had never looked at her like that before. The Chat she knew was goofy, warm and caring. He always had her back, he was always seeing the bright and positive of things.

The Chat she saw was cold, dark and broken down.

Marinette felt dread. She didn't know what Lila did to him, or made him go through, but she knew from the lines under his eyes that she had tortured him.

Chat froze, his eyes lessening their grip on hers and they widened. Marinette worried he tettered on the edge of neurotic.

His weapon dropped from his hand as he blinked slowly.

"Chat-" Marinette whispered, her hands remaining tightly around his arms.

She closed her eyes, her heart continuing to pound against her chest the moment both his hands cupped her face.

"Marinette..." he breathed, his voice quivering. "Marinette..." his hands trembled against her skin, and that's when he truly broke.

His arms wrapped around her tightly, his body heaving as he cried into her neck.

Marinette widened her eyes, her lips tugging into a frown as her arms wrapped around him. Her hands ran through his hair, and she gasped the moment he squeezed her tighter. His claws clutched on to the back of her dress, ripping holes in it as he struggled to keep a firm hold on her.

Marinette trembled, her hands feeling him shake underneath her.

"Chat-" she cried softly, not ever hearing him sob the way he did. She had never seen him so vulnerable and drained the way he was.

He never cried that way before, his whaling was too painful for her to keep her tears at bay.

"What did she do?" She breathed, unable to pull from him, as his claws nearly ripped off the back of her dress completely.

"What did she do to you?" She cried softly. Her hands running up the back of his neck.

Chat pulled back, his mouth immediately connecting to hers.

Marinette froze, her eyes squeezing shut as his kiss instantly intensified.

It was not only a kiss of love.

There was desperation, there was despair, there was comfort and there was a need.

The bluenette whimpered, the desperation in the kiss almost becoming painful.

She had began to worry with the crowd that began to gather at the base of the tower. She didn't want photos of her and Chat Noir making out on the top of the tower make covers on every magazine, especially if she was going to be married to Adrien in a few months.

But she couldn't find it in her to turn away from him.

By the way he gripped on to her, he needed her. Marinette kissed him back, feeling his tears dropping on to her chin.

Chat pulled back, his hands reaching back to hold her face as he sniffled.

"Did she really change time?" He asked, his voice breathy as he pressed another kiss to her face.

Marinette furrowed her brow, her eyes glancing into his.

"What? What are you talking about?" She asked, completely dumbfounded.

"Louis..." Chat pulled back. "Where's Louis?" He asked, panic immediately etching in to his voice as he looked around.

Marinette glared at him, her body slowly pulled away from him as she grit her teeth.

" What do you mean 'Where's Louis'?" She asked, her cheeks flushing. "You were with him before you came here!" She crossed her arms. "Where did you leave him?! Weren't you watching him?!"

Chat glanced up at her, the sound of her screaming at him like music to his ears.

She couldn't be in his head.

Imaginative Marinette would have never fought with him. He was able to touch her, hear her, feel her.

If this was a dream, it was quite cruel.

"Y-you're mad at me?" Chat asked, his heart fluttering as he was grateful to see her angry face again.

Marinette only grew more annoyed.

"What? Why the frick are you smiling about me being mad?"

He was completely confused, but felt overwhelmed at the same time. He had so many questions, but he needed to find Louis.

Chat wasted no time, turning over to grab his staff.

"Come on." He breathed, his arm wrapping around her and pulling her close. Chat was close to breaking down again, but he needed to find Louis first.

The last he remembered was leaving him home with her parents.

The bluenette gasped, her body squirming as he held on to her and leapt off the tower.

The blunette screamed, her heart racing as she was scared shitless he was going to drop her. They still needed to find Lila.

The wind rippled through the back of her torn dress and she shivered. It took all her willpower not to reach over and smack him on the back of his head for tearing her dress, leaving her exposed.

"CHAT! YOU INSATIABLE KITTY, PUT ME DOWN AND GIVE ME MY EARRINGS!"


	31. Chapter 30

**A/N: Unbeta'd sorry for any grammatical errors.**

**Yes, I'm still reading everyone's reviews. Just because I dont respond to some, doesn't mean I dont see them. **

**Sorry for the wait of an update. My phone just stopped working out of nowhere, and I needed to figure things out. Also as some of you may know, I run an art account on twitter and on Instagram so aside from updating on my fanfics I'm constantly updating on my art account. **

**Between the two I had realised that I was not taking time for myself. So I decided to take a little break for my mental health. **

**But I'm back now. I still enjoy writing these stories, and no surprise there is likely going to be a fourth book to this series, but I dont expect it to be longer. I guess we'll see how it goes. **

**If anyone is interested in my art please check out MarinetteDraws on twitter and KandyKate1 on Instagram.**

**Thank you to everyone supporting my work, and even though it may not be the best, and there are a shit ton of fanfics way more popular than this, I appreciate all of you. **

**Thank you so much.**

**-Katie**

* * *

She was crying again.

Adrien couldn't rid her sobs. It didn't matter how hard he tried. His green eyes glanced up, the pain in his heart becoming unbearable the moment he found his love standing on the ledge once more.

He reached out to her, tears stinging his eyes as this time he could not move. He was forced to watch her fall to her death.

And each time it only got more painful.

Her blue eyes looked into his, her lips parting one last time as she uttered out that she loved him.

As if on cue, she then leapt.

And she was out of his sight

Out of his grasp.

Out of his life...

Adrien's eyes shot open in a cold sweat. He glanced up at the ceiling in his bedroom. He breathed out, his heart hammering away at his chest as he was indeed struggling to catch his breath.

The blonde turned to his side, his hands gripping at the empty sheets and pillows in the spot beside him.

Tears stung his eyes, his breathing rigid at the nightmare. His mind raced at a hundred miles a minute. The Male couldn't wrap his mind or accept that his love was gone. That everything he experienced was a cruel dream.

It was what he was meant to believe.

He closed his eyes, almost like his soul was eased the moment he felt her hands running up his arms.

Her palm lightly pressed against his chest, feeling his heart pound ferociously against his skin.

"Another nightmare?" Marinette asked, feeling his hand immediately draw towards hers. His digits laced into her and he brought her hand up to his lips.

Adrien was in denial. Despite the fact that he could touch her, that everything Lila did was undone and unfortunately for him, no one remembered Marinette's death but him and plagg.

Everything Adrien had done to Louis was never done. Lila did what she had promised and erased virtually everything except the memory.

Much to Adrien's dismay, this experience completely changed him. Whether he wanted to or not.

"You're really here?" Adrien asked, leaning into her before he turned to see her face.

She had been laying beside him the same way he had seen her laying beside him during the weeks he had to live without her.

Marinette glanced up at him, a small frown tugging at her lips as this had become the norm. Her other hand reached up, softly touching his face.

"I'm here, Adrien. I promise..." she whispered, her thumb stroking his cheek delicately.

Marinette heard the stories. She heard about her death in vivid detail. She couldn't bear to imagine the agony that Lila had put Adrien through.

Marinette noticed the change. The rest of her friends and family went about like nothing happened.

When Chat dragged her to pick up Louis, her parents smothered her in hugs and kisses. Not because she was dead and somehow brought back with a strange manipulation of time, but because they had nearly witness what Adrien had nightmares of.

Adrien opened his eyes, his other hand placing on top of hers as it caressed his face.

He was tired, and even though Marinette was back, even though she was right beside him and had a second chance with Louis and his love, he couldn't unsee what he saw.

Adrien couldn't quite understand why he and Plagg were the only ones that remembered.

He partially understood why Tikki didn't. She had dissapeared the moment Marinette died. Adrien speculated if the magic of his miraculous had something to do with it. Alya, Nino, her parents and Louis hadn't had the slightest clue of what Adrien had witnessed.

Sure, Plagg was still a bit strained and frustrated with Adrien for being the way he was, regardless if time was changed for the better.

It didn't excuse his actions. Plagg was relieved that Louis had seemed to return to his normal self, and the kwami fought back tears the moment Tikki emerged from behind Marinette when the couple returned home with their child.

The lines under Adrien's eyes deepened, his stomach growing tight with anxiety.

The blonde attempted to take deep slow breaths but it was in vain. He quickly scrambled off the bed, scurrying over to the bathroom with desperation.

He hunched over the toilet, his body shaking as he vomited.

With the stress of his nightmares and Lila still being out there, he was still incredibly overwhelmed at his new reality.

He was grateful but it was a lot to take in at once.

Marinette gasped, her heart aching at how tired and strenuous he had become. She climbed off the bed, following him into the bathroom. She turned on the water in the sink.

Adrien breathed out, feeling her hand on his back as she guided him to the bathroom sink to clean up.

Adrien rinsed his mouth, his eyes widened as he glanced in the mirror. Marinette stood beside him, her eyes looking at his reflection in the mirror.

Adrien still struggled. He could see her in the mirror. He felt her skin on his. She was really here with him.

_"Listen to me. I hate you. I. Hate. You"_

Adrien felt his throat tighten as his voice began to ring in his head once more.

_"Adrien please-"_

_"Let go of me-"_

Tears pooled in his eyes as he lived through the memory again. His anguish and his regret filled his heart once more.

"Marinette-" Adrien immediately spun around, his hands reaching up to cup her face.

Marinette paused, a deep blush covering her cheeks as Adrien suddenly held her face in his hands.

Her blue eyes glanced up into his, and she almost wanted to cry.

She could spot the tears in his eyes, the sadness in his face. She almost wanted to kill Lila for what she made him go through.

But she knew she had to do what was right and capture her akuma.

At this point, Lila had to be looked at as a victim rather than a victim even though she was still a vulture.

"I dont hate you..." Adrien whispered, his heart hammering and his voice quivering. "I'm so sorry I said that. I regret saying it. I hate myself for saying it. I dont know why I said it. I love you..." his face grew pale once more and Marinette was worried that he was going to puke again.

"Shhh-" Marinette hushed, her hands landing on top of his as she realized he was reliving what he was traumatized to go through.

"I know you dont hate me..." she whispered. "I know what you meant. I understood how you feel. I fucked up too..." the blunette leaned up and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.

"And I forgave you in the same way you forgave me..."

Adrien sniffled, his cheeks flushing as he closed his eyes and rested his head on hers.

The two of them remained silent as they caressed one another. The rain could be heard pattering against the window and the walls.

A soft rumble of thunder could be heard throughout the sky and Marinette pulled back.

"Get back to bed. I can make some hot tea for your tension. It always helps me with my anxiety. I like to mix a bit of honey inside too." Marinette smiled, her fingers lightly brushing his cheeks.

"I'll be right back..." she kissed his nose, finally letting go of him.

Adrien sighed, his green eyes watching her as she exited. He tried his best to calm down and as it began to settle in the easier to became.

He exited the bathroom, following Marinette's path. He was willing to follow her around like a lost little kitten and he was just fine with that.

He was a little positive he'd most likely become a little vexatious but he couldn't care less. He had missed and appreciated every moment with her, he grew happy whenever she was mad, happy or frustrated with him.

Adrien wandered into the hallway, his fingertips brushing against the wall. He paused, his eyes glancing upon Louis' bedroom door.

Adrien pressed his lips together, listening to the sounds of Marinette rummaging around in the kitchen. The Male opened the door, glancing down at the little toddler as he slept in his bed.

Tikki and Plagg slept on the space just above his head as they always did when they kept an eye on him throughout the night.

Adrien smiled, his eyes glancing down at his sons gold hair.

Adrien's eyes wandered to the floor, his smile fading as he couldn't help but to remember what his life was like before.

He knew that Louis couldn't remember how cold Adrien was to him, but Adrien couldn't rid the thought of it.

Guilt began to sink into his bones, and his heart dropped, leaving a sour taste in his mouth.

He couldn't unsee the images of Louis sitting by himself at the table. He couldn't unsee Louis hiding under the blankets as he refused to eat. He couldn't unsee the grave look on his face when he came upon the conclusion that Adrien didn't love him.

Mostly, Adrien couldn't unsee the image of Louis falling to the ground in the middle of the night, dropping his favourite book.

Adrien closed his eyes, his heart racing as he genuinely felt like a terrible father.

In the beginning he recalled refusing to let Marinette put him up for adoption the moment he learned she was pregnant. Only for him to abandon him in their toughest moments, during the time they needed each other the most.

Granted, he attempted to make up for it towards the end, but it shouldn't have had to be that way. He should have been there from the start, he should have realised that Louis was grieving too.

Adrien carefully approached Louis' head. He kneeled down, his fingers caressing the little toddlers cheek. He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. The blonde squeezed his eyes shut, his heart aching at the thought of how he treated his son.

"I'm so sorry..." he whispered. "I promise. I won't ever do that again. You're one of the best things that's ever happened to me..."

Tikki yawned, opening her eyes as she peered over to Adrien kissing his sons head repeatedly.

Louis hummed, stretching slightly as he stirred in his sleep. The little one slowly opened his eyes.

His blue eyes blinked, glancing up at Adrien who smooched his head. The toddler smiled small giggled emitting from his lips as his father pulled back to look at him.

"Hey..." Adrien smiled, running his fingers through his hair.

Louis flinched as a rumble of thunder began to shake the walls. The toddler sat up, rubbing his eyes as he turned to glance at the rain as it piled against the glass of his window.

Adrien wasted no time. He pulled the little one into his arms, hugging him tightly to his chest.

"You know how much I love you?" Adrien asked, kissing the top of his sons head. "I love you way farther than the moon. And then all the way back."

Louis widened his eyes, surprised by his father's sudden burst of affection.

"A really really really a lot!" Louis exclaimed, a genuine expression of surprise on his face at the sound of how much his father loved him.

Adrien chuckled, standing up while holding his little one in his arms.

"That's right. I love you so so so much." Adrien replied. "Dont ever forget that..." he murmured.

Louis smiled, leaning into his father.

"I love you too..." Louis replied, yawning as it was still quite late and he wasn't finished sleeping yet.

Marinette paused as she walked through the hallway. She peaked her head inside curiously, her heart warming to see her boys bonding. Marinette knew that Adrien was trying to make up for what he did before everything was erased. She heard the stories from Plagg.

Adrien glanced down at the little kiwanis as they began to wake in their sleep.

"You guys are off the hook for the rest of the night..." Adrien whispered, keeping his half asleep toddler in his arms. "I'm gonna take him for the night..."

Marinette smiled, keeping the cup of hot tea in her hands. Her blue eyes connecting with Adrien's green eyes as he turned towards her.

"Slumber party?" Marinette asked, a small giggle emanating from her lips.

Adrien smiled weakly, wrapping one arm around Marinette and tugging her close. He pressed a kiss to her lips and grabbed her other hand, tugging her back to bed with him and Louis.

Louis peaked his head over his father's shoulder, a small smile spreading across his lips as he watched his mother follow close behind the two of them.

"Mommy!" Louis exclaimed an excited smile on his lips as he realised that the three of them would be spending the night together.

Marinette grinned as she blew kisses to her little one.

"Louie!" She exclaimed back, watching her steps as she didn't want to drop the tea she had prepared for Adrien.

Tikki sat up against the pillow, a small smile on her face as the family went back to bed.

She turned to face Plagg who remained completely obdurate towards Adrien.

Plagg was still weary of how he was treated and what he had put Louis through. The Kwami was willing to forgive, but he couldn't quite contemplate it on an empty stomach. Perhaps he'd be willing to if a large amount of cheese were to be involved.

"He's really trying to make up for what he did. Even though technically it never happened..." Tikki murmured, glancing back at the hallway before she lay down beside Plagg. "I really think you need to forgive him and give him another chance..."

Plagg sighed, his green eyes locked on to the window as the storm only grew stronger.

"Mm..." he simply uttered before he closed his eyes.

Tikki shook her head, completely not perplexed at how stubborn Plagg was. He really didn't change one bit.

She sighed, closing her eyes as she yawned.

Nonetheless.

She was glad the family was spending quality time together.


	32. Chapter 31

The sky had an eerie orange glow to it.

The sun was beginning to set, the light began to shine throughout the Parisian skyline.

The wind was warm, and yet despite the elements, there was danger lurking in the shadows.

Lila sat on a slanted roof, her eyes glancing upon the Eiffel tower ahead. She casually began to dangle her legs over the ledge

The brunette lowered her eyes, her orbs examining her knuckles as they began to bleed.

Lila had fallen impassive.

She was only moments before death when she had decided to save herself.

She had grown angry, Hawkmoth had decided to sacrifice her. Just for the jewels...

And for what?

A wish that wouldn't have benefited her not in the least. Lila furrowed her brow, her eyes shifting back towards the Eiffel Tower as she expected her almighty master to express how frustrated he was.

As if on cue, a purple butterfly appeared across her visiage.

Lila rolled her eyes, expecting what was to come.

She had undid the damage to her body, she was finally able to heal. Lila was just as strong as the day she began the manipulator.

"I thought I told you not to use that power..." Hawkmoths voice emanated in her mind.

The brunette furrowed her brow, the sharpness in his voice ceased to phase her in anyway.

"You also told me to die. Didn't you?" Lila spat, her fists clenching as she carefully stood up on the ledge. Her green eyes glowered down at the people below and her heart hammered in her chest.

"I gave you, your power..." Hawkmoth retaliated. "I can take it away just as fast..."

Lila smirked, her hands slowly relaxing as she crossed her arms tightly against her chest.

"That's right... You gave me my power to manipulate time, and thought. Just like your power is to manipulate and transform..." Lila recounted.

"You're able to connect us through the mind quite easily, can't you hawkmoth?"

"Your job is to get me those miraculouses... " Hawkmoth argued, his voice coarse with anger as Lila had started to disrespect him.

Lila grinned, her eyes narrowing.

"No..." she chuckled, the direct link to her mind via hawkmoth immediately reversed.

Hawkmoth paused, his eyes widened behind the purple aura of his butterfly the moment he began to hear the voices in his head.

"No..." he breathed, his hands reaching up to clutch at his ears. "No!"

Lila grinned, her pupils dilating the moment she could hear hawkmoth struggling under her power.

"You are going to stay right there, butterfly..."she instructed, her facial expression growing more menacing.

"And watch me capture their miraculous for myself. And if you move my dear pet...watch me manipulate time in the worst way for you. Every day you awake will be a fresh hell..."

She smirked, her eyes flickering up to the sky.

"But you're right...you did give me my power, and perhaps I'm probably the strongest monster you've ever created..."

Lila's eyes glanced down at the city, her pupils following every civilian that walked and went about her business.

She reached up, pulling glass from her earrings and began to wound them around her knuckles.

"But let's see if we can lure out the cat and mouse first. When this is over, the entire world will belong to me..."

Hawkmoth squeezed his eyes shut, unable to resist the voices Lila had implanted into his brain.

He had made little to no mistakes before, but this one may have been his most grave one.


	33. Chapter 32

"Do you think your lucky charm can fix me?"

His voice was like a broken song, it quivered among the bends of the soft winds of their city.

It was solemn. It was hopeless. The emotion in him almost brought tears to her eyes.

She couldn't begin to imagine what he had been through. Despite the many times she had tried to heal him, to assure him, she had to accept that there were scars deeper than anything that could fix it.

"What?" Ladybug inquired, perking a brow as she attempted to conceal the grimace that emerged from behind her mask.

Her blue eye shifted to her partner beside her, his body remained still as he leered at the orange sky the blessed the both of them.

Chat Noir's attempt to remain impassive completely failed the moment his green sclera eyes shifted in her direction.

Their eyes connected with one another, and Ladybug's composure washed away in an instant.

"I'm broken..." He murmured, his heart sinking into the dark pits of his stomach.

Ladybug was hurting with him.

In the time they had been attempting to track down Lila, there was something that had changed.

Chat Noir wasn't the chipper and playful feline that she had always remembered. The trauma in him completely changed him for the worst.

"No..." the bug replied, her gloved hands taking his soft face in a warm embrace. "You're not broken... you're just stalled. We'll get you back on your feet." She assured, her thumbs running against his cheeks.

Chat Noir broke into her embrace, he leaned into her palms, his eyes closing as his tears pooled at the edges of his eyes.

His clawed fingertips lightly scratched against the back of her hands, as a deep frown tugged at the edges of the lips she had kissed many times before.

"Then why do I feel so flat out fucked? Like I've become a defective product that was forgotten to be returned before the warranty expired. The things in my head...it's hard for me to escape from. I keep losing you over and over again, and it's difficult for me to let go and let it die... I can't unsee it. The nightmares are still haunting me, I'm always scared..." his voice began to break as the tears rolled down his cheeks.

The heroine's breath escaped her as her digits began to tremble against his skin.

"Chat...you were given a second chance. I was given a second chance..." her voice was a soft melodic tone. "You have the opportunity to do it right this time. We will both learn from this..."

The heroine rose herself on her toes, pressing her lips to his forehead.

"I'll do whatever I can to help you get through this..." her blue eyes captured his watery ones.

The feline took her words into account, his eyes flickering between hers.

He knew she was right. It was already a done deal that Ladybug and Marinette were back. His son was back to the way he was before he callously abandoned him so that he could be a lousy father and brood over his wife's death.

Adrien had been given another chance. He realised that he had taken everything for granted. He had spent most of his time working and pleasing others rather than focusing on himself as well as his family.

What tore him apart the most about losing his love was the regret he knew he was forced to live with for the rest of his life.

He thought about the what ifs and the donts. He thought about everything wrong he did and wished he could have taken back. He thought about all the plans they made together but pushed it aside to get their work done. He could have been loving her like everyday was going to be their last day. He hated himself for not doing that.

Life changed in a blink of an eye, yet it felt like it took him years to finally come to terms with that.

When he lost Marinette, Adrien was forced to come to terms with how dull and empty his life was when he had her. He had many opportunities to grab her by the hands and make the best of everything, but he had always assumed that she would always be there.

And that was his grave mistake.

Ladybug stepped away, her blue eyes blinking as Chat Noir's green eyes began to widen.

The hero, looked away from her, his posture completely straightening up as if he was thrown into an epiphany.

The thought made him sick, as he almost felt as if he should be thanking Lila. Not for killing his Lady and forcing him to live in a fresh hell before she decided to take him back, but he felt like he should be thanking her for teaching him a lesson.

His mistake wasn't that he was unable to save Marinette when she had died back then. It wasn't that he didn't leap at the right moment that would have prevented Lila from stopping him just before he was able to touch her and it certainly wasn't that he had gifted her those earrings that night before she had decided to wear them.

His mistake was that he never appreciated what he had. He had always assumed that everything he had would always be there. He never thought that one thing would completely tear his life apart and flip his world upside down. He took everything he had for granted on the risk that he would always have time to do it later.

Most people never got second chances on unfortunate situations like this.

But on a dark twist of fate, Adrien was finally able to do things right this time.

Ladybug was in front of him, he didn't have to imagine her like he had to before.

A sour taste brewed in his mouth as the hero realised that he was just about to make the same mistake that he had done the last time. He was going to allow his life to wash away. He was going to ruin his second chance by wallowing at what technically never happened.

It was undone. It was erased from the minds of everyone who endured it with him.

The blonde shifted his eyes back to Ladybug who appeared completely dumbfounded as to what he was suddenly realising.

"I think it's getting late. We should probably grab Louis from Alya and Nino. Lila doesn't seem to be around for right now. She's not in any of the factories that we've been searching through. So I think it's time we call it a night and start again first thing tomorrow." The feline elucidated, completely devoiding the conceptual epiphany that was his own.

Ladybug blinked, her blue eyes averting back towards the skyline. She teetered on the edge of trepidation. It was in her nature to continue to be perceptive but even she had to concede at times to be anything less than vigilant.

Adrien had seen that side of her first hand.

"Alright..." the heroine breathed, her mind immediately reverting back to what she had wanted to prepare for dinner that night.

The blunette turned, feeling Chat Noir close behind her.

A small beep from his weapon emanated as he extended it, ready to pounce off the roof at her command.

Ladybug grabbed her yoyo, pausing as she seemed to purse her lips in light contemplation.

"What do you want for dinner?" She asked, tilting her head towards her partner with an innocent glance.

Chat Noir simply laughed, the lightness of her inquisitive completely enlightening to him.

He would have lived this a thousand times if he could have. Her likeness knew no bounds, and he couldn't have had it any other way.

Each time she looked at him, Chat was always reminded why he had fallen in love with her in the first place.

Ladybug gasped slightly at his laugh much to her perplextion as it was the first time she had ever seen him smile in such a long time.

It warmed her heart so much to see him lighten up.

Of course she couldn't understand what it was about her inquiry regarding dinner was so facetious as it was was a great significance to her.

But nonetheless, it was quite enchanting.

"What?" The bug asked, smiling bashfully as Chat Noir approached her.

A small gasp escaped her lips as his arms wrapped around her waist.

"I guess we can figure that out when we get Louis. I think it's really up to him what we eat." He elaborated, leaning down to kiss her lips softly.

Ladybug relaxed under his touch, her hand lightly cupping his face before she subtly pulled away.

"Mmm-" she hummed, her hands lightly playing with his hair with a pout.

"I can't let Louis chose. He's a picky eater, all he'll eat is nuggets. I don't think he's getting the nutrients he needs, especially because I don't breast feed him anymore. "So I worry that as he's getting older, his nugget diet is going to bite him in the ass one day."

Chat nodded his hand remaining on her waist as he tugged her closer.

"I know he likes ice cream. I'm sure he'd love ice cream for dinner."

The blunette scrunched up her freckled face, immediately reprimanding that notion.

"Yeah no. Ice cream for dinner is never happening."

Chat Noir smirked, nodding as he shoved his weapon into the rooftop below him.

Ladybug gripped on to him, the hero taking her by surprise as he began to glide across the skyline with her held on tightly to his side.

She closed her eyes, enjoying the wind through her hair.

Her blue eyes opened, and she glanced up at her love who briefly looked down at her.

Chat Noir was ecstatic at that moment. He was gliding across the sky, moving effortlessly.

Each time he leapt, he held her tightly. Both their bodies were free falling, and this time he had her in his arms.

"Are you planning on being one of those helicopter moms then?" Chat asked, grunting slightly as they both whisked through the air.

Ladybug gasped, a small frown on her face as she was truly hurt by that comment.

"You know, I've let you off the hook the last time when I wanted to slap the crap out of your head, but now I really feel like I'm ready to just fully kick your ass."

The feline simply tittered.

"I actually don't mind either. You've got me completely whipped."

Ladybug simply rolled her eyes, remaining utterly obdurate.

"I can leap myself, you know..."

Marinette placed the dishes into the dish washer.

She was actually quite pleased with how dinner came out. She managed to convince Louis to try some mac and cheese which he was reluctant to, but once seeing Chat Noir eat it, he was all for trying new food.

She sighed, placing the kitchen towel to the side before she flicked off the light.

She yawned, her back aching. She just wanted a shower and a nap. First thing the next morning, she'd have to go out with Chat Noir and search for Lila.

Marinette paused, poking her head into Louis' room down the hall. She smiled as she was blessed by the sight of her two boys.

Adrien tucked the little one in, pressing soft and gentle kisses to his head before he reached for his favorite book.

Tikki and Plagg took their places on Louis' shoulder, poking their heads forward so that they could get a better look at the book as well.

Both Louis and Adrien glanced up at Marinette as she spied on them.

"I'm going for a shower. Goodnight my lovelies." She whispered, smiling at her little boy and her kwamis. "I love you guys, I'll see you tomorrow."

Louis smiled sleepily at his mother. He rubbed his eyes with a small yawn before he began to relax against Adrien.

"Love you mommy..." she murmured, closing his eyes and nuzzling into Adrien.

The blunette grinned and closed the door. She was way too exhausted to run back to her room and dig out pyjamas. She just wanted to take a hot shower and figure all of that out later.

She turned on the hot water, immediately shedding her clothes. The bluenette relaxed under the hot water.

Her back ached and she turned over, allowing the water to soothe the sore muscles in her back.

Marinette took a moment to think in the shower. She had hoped that Adrien decided to turn a new leaf and hope for the better. She knew the mental damage was way too much, and she wondered if her Lucky charm was enough to remove that damage. She wondered if it would be like last time, where she'd use her power and it erased the memory of everything that had happened before hand.

Whatever the case was, Marinette would be there to help him every step of the way.

Marinette had began to feel a bit of hope in her heart. She bit her lip, incredibly determined to find Lila and finally put an end to this.

Marinette ran a hand through her hair, relaxing for a bit before she had finally decided to finish up what she had to do in the shower.

Marinette quickly rinsed off, almost too excited to get to bed. She stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel and drying herself.

She yawned as she gently placed the towel around her body. She hummed, grabbing her hair brush and running it through her hair.

The female paused the moment she walked into her bedroom.

Adrien stood by the bed in his boxers. The Male blushed as he held a red rose in his hand.

"H-Hey!" He breathed, his arm extending as he offered the rose to her.

"I've missed you..."

Marinette chuckled, a small smile on her face as she realised he was such a stud.

"You missed me? So you stripped into your underwear?" She teased, as she placed her hair brush on to the dresser beside the door and moved closer to him.

Marinette closed the bedroom door behind her, and very gingerly took the rose from him, nuzzling her nose into the top of it.

"Well..." Adrien glanced down at himself, not taking into account her comment on his attire. "I actually want to cuddle with you..." he admitted bashfully before he glanced up at her again. "I've been too busy screaming from nightmares...I didn't get a chance to cuddle you like I used to..."

Marinette continued to glance down into her flower. Her heart began to flutter at the sound of his voice. He was such a sweet angel. She was truly in love.

She carefully placed the rose to the side, turning to the drawers to grab something to wear.

Before she could pick anything to wear, she was gently tugged back towards him by her arm.

The female blushed as Adrien lightly spun her around, forcing the towel to gracefully fall off of her.

Adrien grabbed her waist, gently pulling her to him tautly.

"Adrien!" Marinette exclaimed lightly, trying not to be too loud as her baby was asleep in the room over. "I'm naked..." she murmured bashfully as she hid against him.

Adrien chuckled, capturing her hand into his as their bodies swayed side to side in gentle motions.

"It's alright..." the blonde assured with a gentle smirk as he pressed soft kisses to the top of her head. "It's nothing I haven't seen before..."

Marinette rolled her eyes, burying her face into his chest with a bashful giggle. She pressed soft kisses to his collar bone, the blush underneath her skin deepening.

She enjoyed the motions between the two of them. She had remembered a long time ago that they'd dance together out of pure love. There never had to be any music, all they needed was each other.

It was just their thing, and she wouldn't have asked it to be any other way.

"You should take back what you said..." Marinette murmured, pulling back to glare at Adrien who simply furrowed his brow as he attempted to contemplate anything he had said that she would have wanted him to retrieve.

"About calling me a helicopter mom..." the female elucidated as she read his expression.

Adrien laughed softly in response, simply amused by anything she did. This would be something he'd never take for granted again. He enjoyed every moment he had with her and Louis, even the bad moments he knew he'd be grateful for. As long as he had them, nothing else really mattered.

"You could be my helicopter mom." He laughed softly, leaning down to scoop her up in his arms and carry her towards the bed.

Marinette gasped, completely caught off guard the moment he lifted her and gently placed her on to the bed.

She blushed bashfully, biting her lip as Adrien carefully crawled in beside her. He pulled the blankets up over them and then he lightly tugged Marinette closer to him.

Marinette was more than happy to syncopate to his body. She nuzzled her face into his chest once more.

Adrien wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as this was something he had craved to do for so long.

Marinette breathed out, her heart racing along side of his as she felt warm and safe in his arms.

"I love you..." Adrien whispered, his hands lightly moving up towards her hair.

His fingers gently ran through her hair, pulling back just as Marinette pulled back to look at him.

A deep blush covered her cheeks, brewing under her freckles.

"I love you too..." she replied, closing her eyes as Adrien leaned forward to rub his nose against hers affectionately.

Marinette relaxed, her hands resting on his chest as Adrien pressed his lips to hers in a gentle yet passionate kiss.

She habitually wrapped her arms around him, her lips moving along with his tenderly.

His lips were warm and sweet against hers, and Marinette almost felt as if she could fly to heaven and back. Her hands gently tugged at the soft hair on the nape of his neck.

"Mmm-" she hummed as their lips separated from one another. "I can't remember the last time we cuddled like this..." she breathed against his lips. "It's actually a nice change of pace..." she opened her eyes, glancing into his.

Adrien smiled, his hand reaching up to cup her face.

"Get used to it, my queen. We're gonna make every night a cuddle night. Even when we fight. I won't let you forget that I love you..."

Marinette smiled, her face moving back to press into his chest.

"I dont think that's possible..." she replied softly, her fingertips lightly running along his shoulders.

Adrien continued to hold her close, the couple cuddling into one another until sleep inevitably came.

Adrien's eyes shot open the moment he heard a scream.

His heart hammered in his chest as he sat up, Marientte sitting up beside him.

For the first time in weeks, Adrien wasn't hearing the sounds of his nightmares.

Marinette kept the blanket wrapped tightly around her as she stumbled out of bed.

The sky remained dark as it wasn't four in the morning just yet.

"I'm going to grab Louis." Adrien informed, climbing out of bed in his underwear.

Marinette nodded, her blue eyes shifted as she inspected the scenery outside from her window.

She clutched on to the blanket, her eyes finally catching a glimpse of Lila who had started a collection of innocent people in her tirade.

"Come out, Hawkmoth! We play things would like to have a word with you!" Lila chuckled. "You can't resist the voices any longer!"

Marinette furrowed her brow, her heart racing as she knew she had to transform.

Adrien returned to the bedroom, holding his toddler taut to him. Adrien placed the child into their bed, instructing the little one to stay under the covers at all costs.

Louis agreed, hiding under the covers as he was already aware that his parents had to stop and fix everything.

"Its Lila..." Marinette explained, turning to watch Adrien as he approached her.

"I figured as much..." Adrien sighed. "And she couldn't let us get a full night's sleep..."

"She's looking for hawkmoth..."Marinette informed, turning her head to observe the chaos that was brewing outside their bedroom window.

"Hawkmoth? Why do you think that is?" He asked, furrowing his brow. He shifted his eyes back out the window.

Marinette shrugged, tucking her hair behind her ear and flashing her earrings.

Adrien turned just in time to greet both their kwamis as they floated above their shoulders.

"I dont know..."Marinette replied thoughtfully. "But I think it's time we've finally put an end to Lila's reign of manipulation..."

Author's note:

Seriously feel bad tonight. Ignore me, insecure writer here. Honestly feel like making this into a series was a bad idea. I sometimes feel like I should discontinue these stories and delete them because to me I feel like they flopped.

But I dont wanna do that cause it's a lot of hard work and dedication erased especially because this story is coming to an end within the next three chapters.

Yes, only three chapters left and this sequel is complete.

Anyway. Sorry for not being a talented writer.


	34. Chapter 33

A/N: Before we begin. I'd like to take the time out to thank everyone who has left nice comments and constructive criticism. I've been pointed out about the grammatical errors in this story which I'm aware of, and someone even insinuated in one of my reviews that I didn't know english.

Truth is, I do know English. When I write these chapters, I sometimes write too fast, especially when I'm excited and want to get one out. I'll miss somethings here and there and dont even realize it until after I've published. Other times I stay up until 3 am writing and I'm half asleep so I make mistakes and dont catch them.

Even though they aren't excuses to the errors, I do apologize to all of you for not bringing these stories to it's full potential. I honestly do appreciate those of you who took the time out to support me and give me a chance. As many of you know, I've started a new story MLB related called "The Convenient Marriage." I hope you all get to see my progress in that one and see how far I've come in writing. There will hopefully be many more stories to come [if anyone still reads fanfiction anymore]

I love you all, and again I'm so so sorry. I'll try not to disappoint next time.

This chapter wasn't beta'd. There may be a few grammatical errors as I have wrote it quickly or may feel a bit tired.

I promise I do know and understand English. I was an honor student in it. I just have off days.

Now, enough of this. I'll let you continue with the story.

"You're getting skinny."

Her voice was like a bell. Chat had always been lured to her.

Everything she did was like a song that replayed into his head dozens and dozens of times.

He knew she mean't well, and he sure as hell knew that if Ladybug wanted to talk about something, she'd talk about it.

Over the years while they've worked together, Chat took pride in the concept that he taught her how to speak her mind.

Marinette was always a shy individual, especially around him. It was impossible to get a few words in edgewise without her foaming at the mouth.

He always admired that about her.

She could always be silk on one side and then she's sandpaper on the other.

He loved all her perfections and her imperfections. He loved her stubbornness. He loved every freckle on her face and he just loved her.

Even if the questions she decided to pop up every now and again were inconvenient.

"What?" Chat breathed, his heart racing as he blocked off an attack from one of Lila's zombies.

Ladybug leapt, her small frame twisting midair as she dodged an attack from her left side.

She landed a few feet back with a small grunt before reaching her yoyo.

"I said-mmf-" she hurled her yoyo to her right, knocking one zombie off her feet before she was able to lunge at her.

"I said you're getting skinny!" She breathed, her cheeks growing red as she leapt away from a third zombie that attempted to sneak at her from behind.

Chat extended his weapon, the blunt object hitting a zombie in the center before he could take a hit out on Ladybug.

"I don't think-" the feline turned, striking one zombie to his right as he rapidly approached. "-That it's the time to talk about this!"

Ladybug gasped, immediately leaping away from a side lung attack. Her body rolled on to the ground before she quickly regained her balance.

The bug had a tight grip on her yoyo, she immediately stood up and swung her weapon until it created a proper shield. "If I don't talk about it now, we won't ever talk about it." She breathed, lifting her leg to kick a zombie behind her. "You'll avoid the topic like the plague while we're alone!"

Chat Noir tittered. The hero gasped as he was knocked on to his back. His green eyes glanced upon a zombie that leapt at him.

Chat Noir acted fast, kicking him straight in his chest to send him flying away. "Here I thought I was the one who's supposed to talk about distractive things during a fight!"

Ladybug continued to roll her yoyo, creating a thick shield as she began to back up. She perked a brow as her back soon pressed against Chat's back the moment the duo met in the center.

The Male extended his weapon, knocking down a few of his opponents. Ladybug duplicated the circumstances, mimicking his every move until the duo was just about sure that everything was clear.

Chat Noir stretched, his back cracking pleasurably in several places.

"I'm beat..." he sighed, his eyes nearly closing from exhaustion.

Ladybug turned to face him, refusing to drop the topic.

"So then maybe you should eat more..." she deadpanned, her facial expression nearly flaccid.

Chat grinned, placing one of his hands on his hips.

"Of course. I'm so full with love. It's impossible for me to go hungry."

Ladybug sighed, her lips parting as she was about to say something but was interrupted when a sharp voice emanated from above them.

The heroes' eyes averted to the location above them.

"So I see you've managed to control your loose cat." Lila sighed, slowly jumping from the lamppost and landing in front of them.

"I wonder if he still has his homicidal tendencies..."

The ears on Chat's head flattened slightly. He remained still as Ladybug rolled her eyes.

"This kitty was never loose. Thanks for your help though. I've got it under control..." Ladybug immediately retorted, drawing her weapon.

Lila chuckled, perking a brow as she glanced between the two of them. "Ah, so where were you when this violent feline tried to murder me in cold blood? I mean, even heroes have to make sure they restore order, even if a villain is in trouble..." her green eyes flickered back to Chat who appeared tense.

Ladybug furrowed her brow, teetering on the edge of trepidation. Lila was known to lie. She wasn't going to fall for what she said that easily.

"Enough talk..." Ladybug interjected. "Your manipulation isn't going to work. Chat Noir and I are a team..." her voice remaining firm.

Lila chuckled, her hands resting on her hips as she kept her gaze on Chat.

"You didn't tell her...did you?" She mused, her brow perking.

Chat nearly slumped over, feeling ashamed of who he became when Marinette had died. His ears flattened against his head, his tail immediately tucked timidly between his legs.

Ladybug glanced over to Chat, her heart racing at his sudden appearance.

"C-Chat?" She asked, her eyes slowly blinking as she was afraid to ask. "What is she talking about?"

Chat remained quiet. Everything he could have said instantly got stuck in his throat. He had no words to say. He was ashamed of everything he did. The way he treated Louis, they way he treated Plagg, the way he withdrew from his friends and family. He hated how impassive and cold he had become.

"The only reason why I brought little miss Mari back was because your little kitty here tried to kill me." Lila pressed her lips together at the memory. The lines under her eyes deepened and for a brief moment, Ladybug could see the trauma in her orbs.

Chat looked back at her, his soul nearly breaking once more. He was faintly aware that Lila putting him on the spot like that could have potentially been another manipulation tactic she was using.

"Her and Hawkmoth were using me...and Adrien..." Chat replied, his voice quivering as he had to come to terms of what he had done out loud.

"She purposely made me watch you-erm...Marinette die...so that I'd go insane with the memory. She wanted me to lay awake at night feeling guilty that I couldn't save her..." his green eyes finally glanced over to his partner who looked back at him with wide eyes.

"They depended on Adrien breaking, so that Chat Noir and Adrien would both be apart of her army. Except I have a miraculous. The damage they hoped for would have been cataclysmic." His eyes dropped down as he was lost in thought. "I admit it was wrong of me. I may even be a piece of shit for it, but I was not in my right mind. I haven't been for a while." Chat spoke, his voice breaking.

He truly did feel like a piece of shit.

For the way he treated everyone. For the way he treated Louis and even for his attempts to rid Lila out of his life forever.

Ladybug frowned. Her heart ached at how cold and bitter he had reformed to in her absence. She knew it wasn't like him to act in those ways, he was troubled by both her death and his inability to save her.

She had a hunch it was part of their plan to take everything he had until he was completely vulnerable to them both.

"Chat..."Ladybug frowned, wanting to reach out to him. The way he had been standing, Ladybug had a hunch that he was withdrawing. He didn't want to be bothered or touched.

"You'll be thrilled to know that Hawkmoth and I aren't a team...there's been a change of plans..." Lila interjected, her green eyes glancing between the two heroes.

Ladybug and Chat Noir both snapped their gazes to her, their brows furrowed in confusion.

Lila stepped back, a small grin on her features as she kept her gaze on the heroes.

"You both have the option to join me... we can both find Hawkmoth and defeat him." She explained. "We can work together and put an end to him."

Her grin only grew deeper and Ladybug had a strange feeling in her stomach.

She already didn't trust Lila as a person, she couldn't help but to suspect something was up her sleeve.

"I wouldn't trust her..." Chat breathed under his breath, low enough for only Ladybug to hear. "She might be planning to take our miraculouses after she's used us to get Hawkmoth. Strangely enough I don't think Hawkmoth is safe either..."

Ladybug frowned, her blue eyes shifting back to her partner.

"Do you think she did something to him?" She asked, her brow perking slightly.

Chat pressed his lips together, his heart hammering in his chest as he realized the great possibility of Lila's strength since their last encounter.

He had no doubt that she had grown stronger since she was able to turn back time and undo all the damage Chat Noir had managed to do to her.

"Sorry, Lila..." Ladybug replied, her voice remaining firm as she placed her hands onto her hips. "But we don't make deals with villains. If we want to catch Hawkmoth, we can do it ourselves and we can do it the right way..."

Lila rolled her eyes at Ladybug

She began to feel utterly sick at how judicial she was. It was completely lame.

"Think about the power you could have. Think about what we could do together once we both rid Hawkmoth and keep his miraculous. The entire city of Paris could be ours. If anything, the entire world could be ours." Lila grinned, her brow perking as she attempted to convince the heroine and her partner.

Her green eyes shifted to Chat Noir.

"Chat Noir? I know you have the capability..." her voice dropped low.

Chat Noir immediately faced away from her, his cat like ears flattening once more against his head.

"I've seen that darkness in you..." she murmured, her voice turning grave as she continued. "Think about all the power and control you're capable of. I know I can bring that out in you. You can bring it out of yourself again. Together we can be so strong, everything you could ever want is yours. The decision is obvious..." Lila continued.

Chat closed his eyes, his fists clenching as he hated the fact that she was able to bring out the worst in him. He didn't want to leave Ladybug's side, not that he was going to anyway. Chat was ashamed of who he became and he wasn't particularly fond of Lila throwing that knowledge in his face. He didn't want Ladybug to know that side of him and he certainly didn't want Louis to experience that again either.

"Sorry to burst your bubble-"Ladybug interjected, standing in front of Chat and forcing Lila to look at her. "And I certainly don't mean to be cocky either!" The heroine piped in a chipper voice.

Chat immediately looked back, his green eyes looking into the back of Ladybugs head.

"But this kitty already has everything he wants right here!" She declared with a smile. The bluenette turned to face her kitty. Her blue eyes connected with his green eyes and she held his gaze only for a moment before she winked at him.

She placed a gloved hand on her belly, only her partner getting the reference that there was another baby on the way.

Chat chuckled, a small smile pulling on the edges of his lips. She always had a way of easing his soul. He was absolutely in awe of her. She never judged him and she always saw the good in him. He was especially grateful for her and he had most certainly learned his lesson.

"Right..." he breathed, his tail slowly wagging behind him as his ears perked up in hope. His Lady was alright and that's all that mattered to him.

Lila sighed. The female had started to groan in frustration. She had turned, her hands reaching towards her earrings.

"Very well. I guess that means I'm forced to kill both of you." She muttered, her back facing them for a brief moment.

The female glanced up at a lamppost with a subtle grin before she turned to face the duo.

"I'll just have to start with you, kitty..."

Chat clenched his jaw, he wasn't going to let Ladybug shield him. She was pregnant, he couldn't take the risk in putting their new little one in danger.

Ladybug giggled softly, the smile on her face never faltering from her features.

"You're not touching a single whisker!" Ladybug teased. "He's not alone this time around. He's got me to fight beside him." The bug declared.

Ladybug smiled, Chat Noir hadn't been the silly one out of them lately. She figured one of them had to do it eventually.

Chat smiled at his Lady. He swore he couldn't have fallen in love with her anymore than he could have at that very moment.

The male slowly approached her, standing beside her diligently.

"I can't let you take the front and center this time..." he replied, his green eyes glancing up at Lila as she started to lace the pieces of glass into her knuckles.

"Don't be silly-" Ladybug retorted, grabbing her weapon and bracing herself. "I've been leading since forever ago. Nothing is going to change that, black cat."

Chat Noir rolled his eyes, retracting his weapon but a smile still remained on his features as he was head over heels for her stubbornness.

"Yes, but you're pregnant." He whispered and then grunted as Lila began to hurl shards towards the couple.

Ladybug obdurately took the lead and began to round her yoyo. The weapon glided in circles as a rapid pace until it cause a stable shield between the two of them and Lila's glass.

"So?" She called back to her kitty who just barely looked at her. "I was pregnant with Louis and I still kicked ass. You didn't say anything then!"

Chat immediately grabbed Ladybugs hips and he began to guide her in a different trajectory. The male had every intention to draw his weapon, and he did the moment Lila paused to use the lamp post as a leverage to leap over the two of them.

"I didn't know you were pregnant with Louis back then. If I did, I would have stole your spotlight!" The cat replied, both heroes gasping at the sight of Lila know flailing her weapons from above.

Ladybug immediately jumped to her right. Chat Noir jumped to his left, the duo ultimately separating.

Ladybug tumbled over, being careful not to take an impact to her belly. She wasn't showing yet, but she was all too aware that she had a little baby bug growing inside. She was going to protect this little bug the same way she protected her baby boy bug back then.

Ladybug stood to her feet, hurling her yoyo towards Lila and wrapping it around her ankle

"Don't pull the ground up towards your face really fast!" She teased as she tugged the wire. Ladybug grunted as she began to twirl herself around.

Lila gasped as she was unexpectedly tugged and then forced straight down into the ground.

Lila whimpered as she landed into the cold hard street. She immediately glared at Ladybug, lacing her pieces right across her knuckles before she began to flick them towards the heroine.

Ladybug gasped, immediately dodging the pieces as best as she could. She retracted her yoyo and began to shield herself by twirling it the best way she knew how.

Lila stood up, her breath escaping her as she ran out of ammo. New shards formulated in her earrings and the brunette reached up to grab them.

The villain paused as she felt a light tap on her shoulder.

With a brow furrowed in confusion, Lila foolishly let her guard down as she turned to face the unknown.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I think I would advise Ladybug not to do any heavy lifting." Chat Noir teased, flashing her his signature grin.

The male quickly extended his weapon, the front edge of the blunt object smacking her straight in the face.

Lila held her face, a loud groan of frustration emanating from her lips.

It had proven to be difficult with two nuisances instead of one.

Chat Noir leapt backwards with a small smile on his face just as Ladybug stood a few feet behind Lila.

She glanced at her yoyo with a small grin.

"Lucky charm?" Chat Noir asked.

Ladybug giggled.

"Lucky charm!"

It was time to finally wrap this up.


	35. Chapter 34

Lucky charm.

No not the cereal but Ladybug's most powerful weapon.

Of course it required some thinking but Ladybug was almost always ready to use it for the most part.

When she had first started out as Ladybug, she had no idea what to do with the random items her power granted her.

It wasn't until Adrien suggested that it was just part of the answer that she realized that her lucky charm was just a piece of a puzzle she had to put together.

Overtime Marinette was nearly a pro at putting the puzzle pieces together.

After all, her lucky charm was usually something simple, like an everyday item.

So it was no surprise to Ladybug the moment she glanced down at the spotted roll of duct tape in her palms.

"Duct tape?"Ladybug mused, her brow furrowing as she picked off the tacky edge, subtly pulling it off the roll. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

Chat Noir stumbled backwards, his weapon blocking the sharp shards of glass that came flying his way.

He wasn't too thrilled that Lila had put him first in her death note book. It wasn't a pleasant feeling, he figured he deserved it.

In the past he went full on Lila, stopping at nothing until he knew she was dead.

In a way, he got a sour taste of his own medicine.

Chat grunted, pain radiating through his wrist as a shard of glass vibrated against the edge of his weapon.

The feline rolled towards his lady, his ears flickering at the sound of Lila moving to a different location.

His green eyes shifted towards the roll of tape in her heads and he chuckled, not expecting any less.

"I guess you're supposed to duct tape her up. Put some over her mouth, we won't ever have to hear her voice ever again." He teased.

His smile immediately faltered the moment he saw a few shards of glass hurling straight towards them.

The hero instantly began to block each shard with ease, sending them straight back towards Lila who dodged them.

"Maybe I should tape your face up." Ladybug whined, moving the tape towards his face in a threatening motion. "I'll keep you quiet."

Chat Noir stood up straight, laughing gently as he glanced back at his love with an obnoxious smile.

"I mean, a kiss would definitely shut me up. It'll give you enough time to figure things out."

Ladybug giggled, shaking her head.

It was funny to her that in the past, his taunting and flirting always annoyed her.

But now she certainly didn't want to have it any other way.

To not have a flirty Chat Noir during a fight, didn't feel like a normal fight at all.

"Mmm...touché... " the heroine gave in. She poked his cheek softly, before she leaned up and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

Lila glanced up, her eyes rolling at the couple.

"Gross..." she muttered under her breath.

Ladybug subtly pulled away, her blue eyes bouncing off a few items in her path.

"Oh..." she breathed glancing down at the roll of tape in her hands.

"I think I know what to do with this."

Chat Noir wiggled his brows playfully.

"Did my kiss help?" He asked. "I get told my kisses can cause revelations."

Ladybug stared at him blankly.

"No. Just...shut up." She shook her head with a light laugh. "When I say go...I need you to use you cataclysm on the street. But we need to lure her closer to the subway. Understand?" She asked.

Chat Noir stepped back, politely bowing to her.

"My lady wishes. My lady gets!" He spoke softly before he faced Lila who was just about ready to lace more shards of glass in her knuckles.

"Hey!" He exclaimed, waving his arms. The gesture grabbed Lila's attention.

Her main focus was to take Chat Noir out. The brunette wasted no time, she immediately began to flick shards straight at the cat.

Chat immediately dodged as many as he could, his body rolling in the opposite direction before he landed on his feet.

His heart raced almost painfully as he began to run towards the only subway he knew.

Ladybug took off after him. She rounded herself on a lamp post and leapt on to the rooftop of a building.

She thwipped from rooftop to rooftop, keeping her yoyo in her dominant hand as she attempted to glide past her partner.

Ladybug paused, her blue eyes shifting between at the lamp posts in the center. A wide smile spread across her lips as she hurled her weapon, forcing the wires to wrap around each of the poles before she tugged.

She breathed in, trying not to put too much weight in as she was pregnant. She didn't want to put too much strain on the baby.

The bug paused before she tugged one last time. She grunted, forcing the poles further down on to the ground the moment Chat Noir was in place.

The black cat waited, using his weapon to block each shard with meticulous attention.

His ears perked up the moment he heard the groan of the lamp posts all around him.

He glanced up, his brow furrowing as Lila landed in front of him.

"It was great seeing ya!" The black cat bowed. He stood up straight, his eyes sought out Lila's who glared back in confusion. She reached up to begin picking the shards from her earrings to start shooting them again.

"Thanks for the lesson. I won't be forgetting what you've taught me anytime soon..."Chat continued, emotion dripping off of every word in his sentence.

Ladybug immediately tugged harder, the lamp posts now falling all around them.

Lila dropped the pieces of glass from her hand.

"What the-" she grunted as she held her hands up, holding the lamp post and preventing it from landing on top of her

Chat pushed his weapon into the street, leaping backwards and jumping out of the circle of fallen lampposts.

"Chat! Now!" Ladybug instructed as she released her yoyo and then began to wrap the duct tape around her hands.

Chat landed a few feet back.

Listening to his lady's words, he called his cataclysm.

The hero very carefully pressed his palm on the spot in front of him, crumbling the pavement instantaneously.

Lila gasped unable to move as if she did, she would be crushed.

The female immediately fell through the crack in the ground, her legs dangling into the ceiling of the subway below her.

"No!" She called out, her eyes then shifting over to Chat Noir.

She wanted to put an end to him. She was so close.

"Chat!" She called, rage brewing in her voice as he turned his back.

Ladybug leapt, her tiny frame pummeling towards Lila.

The heroine twisted her body, her hands holding out to her ears as she was just about to grab her earrings by sticking them on to the tape.

Chat Noir kept his gaze away, the sight of her plummeting becoming too much for him as he quite remembered the fate she had once before.

He put his full trust in her and believed that she was going to get things done.

And she never disappointed.

"Whoo!" Ladybug exclaimed, glancing down at the earrings and the shards of glass that stuck to the tape, preventing her from being poked.

Ladybug shivered, not entirely too fond of the memory of being under Lila's control again.

"I got them!" She smiled, glancing at her kitty who just about climbed over the heap of poles with excitement.

"I knew you could. Wasn't able to do this without you..." Chat smiled.

"High five?" Ladybug suggested, holding one of her palms out.

Chat grinned as he was about ready to smack her palm but paused the moment he saw the shards of glass caught into the tape.

"Uh...erm. Perhaps...you should release the akuma first." He chuckled, offering her a sheepish smile.

Ladybug blinked, immediately pulling her hand away.

"Oh...right... a little help?" She asked, offering the back of her hands to her partner.

Chat Noir laughed, reaching down to pull the tape off of her hands. The earrings plopped to the ground underneath the tape.

Ladybug smiled glancing up at Chat briefly.

"Thanks, kitty." She murmured before she stomped down on the earrings, releasing the akuma.

Chat watched in awe as she released the purple butterfly. She captured it very quickly and then she set it off.

Ladybug grabbed her roll of tape and then she threw it into the air.

"Miraculous Ladybug!" She exclaimed, her smaller ladybugs swarming around the city, restoring what once was

Chat Noir closed his eyes the moment he felt the bugs swarm around him.

The memory of her death wasn't completely erased, but the heavy feeling in his chest all but vanished.

Lila sat on the ground awkwardly. The brunette held on to her head, blinking as she felt like she was just pulled from a daze.

"Huh? What happened?" She asked.

Chat kept his distance, his ring beeping. He kept his gaze off of Lila as he still felt a bit uncomfortable around her.

Ladybug crouched down, knowing full well that Lila most likely wasn't too fond of her.

"You were akumatized..." she explained. "But you're alright now."

Ladybug gently grabbed her hand, helping the female to her feet.

Lila blinked, standing to her feet as she attempted to comprehend everything.

"Adrien...?" She breathed, her brow furrowing as she remembered him storming out, but she couldn't remember much after that.

"Where's Adrien?" Lila gasped, running her hand through her hair.

"I need to talk to him. Have you seen him?"

Ladybug blinked, wondering what she should say.

"H-He's fine..." she stammered. "I think it's important that you get yourself home and rest. It's been a long few days..."

Lila sighed, shrugging Ladybug's hand off her shoulder as she looked away.

Without a single Thank you or care in the world, Lila turned her back, ushering herself back to the modeling studio where she hoped to catch Adrien.

Ladybug watched her leave, a grimace on her face as she crossed her arms.

"Some people won't ever change..." Chat murmured from behind her. "But you did the right thing." He continued as he approached her.

Ladybug nodded, eventually sighing in defeat.

"Yeah...we should get going. I'm assuming Louis is a nervous wreck..." she turned to look at him.

Chat smiled, gently grabbing her hand and pressing a small kiss to the back of it.

His green eyes flickered up briefly before he stood up straight.

"Looks like we've got company..."

Ladybug furrowed her brow, she lightly pulled her hand away from Chat, her eyes widened the moment she saw the herd of reporters approaching them rapidly.

She thought that she would be used to this by now.

The bug stepped back, bumping into Chat as she tried to blink away the flashing camera lights and the bombarding questions.

"Ladybug! Ladybug!" Nadia called out to her. "Is it true that you and Chat Noir are officially a couple?" She asked.

Ladybug rolled her eyes, almost half expecting the questions to be more general rather than personal.

"I should have expected that..." the bug muttered under her breath as Chat Noir tenderly grabbed her waist.

"Is it okay?" He asked, leaning his head on her shoulder. "Please?" He asked, nudging into her.

Ladybug chuckled, lightly shaking her head in disbelief.

"You really are an insatiable kitty..." she joked.

Chat smiled, a hopeful fluttering feeling in his chest. "Is that a yes?" He asked, perking a brow.

Ladybug playfully pursed her lips, knowing how extra Chat was.

"Alright kitty. Just this one and last time okay?"

Chat grinned, he didn't have to be told twice.

His hand immediately reached for hers.

In a swift motion he twirled his lady into his arms. He glanced down at her, feeling her hands on his chest.

And in front of everyone, the hero leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips

Ladybug closed her eyes, ignoring the loud clambering around them and the obnoxious camera lights flashing all around them.

Chat pulled back, a deep blush on his cheeks.

The entire world knew that Marinette Dupain- Cheng was the one Adrien loved...

And now the entire world will know that Ladybug was the one Chat Noir loved.

Either way, she was and will always be his lady in any way shape or form.


	36. Chapter 35

Adrien glanced down at the black cat stuffie in his hand.

He smiled, his heart feeling warm at the memory of how much he used to cuddle this thing as a child.

It was a heartfelt gift from his mother. It meant a lot to him as she made it herself. It was the most important thing in the world to him.

He took this thing with him everywhere. It was right beside him while he slept and it often floated in the tub with him during bath time.

At times, the stuffie did become completely soaked and his mother often had to reattach the arms as Adrien continued to place him into the toilet.

The toy had began to show its age, but it still held its sentimental value.

Adrien knew it was time to pass it on. As a father he knew how much something like this would mean to a child.

If he could, he'd ask Marinette to help him sew it up if Louis decided to bathe with it or throw it into the toilet.

A small smile graced his lips the moment the model opened the door to his son's bedroom.

Louis was already in bed, Tikki guided his fingers to the mother rabbits on his favorite book.

Plagg remained asleep on his pillow, he didn't really care for story time.

All he really cared for was sleep and cheese.

Tikki glanced up at Adrien as he stepped into the bedroom, holding the stuffed black cat toy in his hands.

Louis turned his head, his pacifier falling from his mouth the moment he saw his father.

He opened his arms, reaching out to his father eagerly.

Adrien chuckled, bending over to lift his toddler in his arms. He sat on the edge of the bed and hugged his son close to him.

"I have something for you..." Adrien prompted, grabbing the black cat stuffie from underneath his arms and placing it on to Louis' lap.

Louis smiled, gently grabbing the stuffie from his lap.

"My mom gave me this when I was your age. She made it for me so I can always have a friend whenever I felt lonely or sad. Everytime I held on to this, I was always able to remember that she was here with me and that she always loved me." Adrien explained.

"I don't want you to ever forget how much you mean to me, Lou."

Louis blinked, he looked up at his father and then back down at the toy he was just gifted with.

The toddler scooped the toy up into his arms and cuddled it with a small smile.

He nuzzled into the toy with a happy heart. He had a piece of his father with him. The toy already meant the world to him.

"I know it feels like we're always busy and sometimes me and mommy aren't around. I know it can feel lonely when Plagg and Tikki aren't around either; but everything is going to change. I promise..." the blonde assured.

Louis hummed sweetly, not exactly sure what his father meant. All that mattered was that he had a new toy! And it was from his father. It couldn't have gotten any better than that.

"But at least you have something from me for now. Whenever you feel lonely or scared, you can hold this toy." Adrien murmured, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to his forehead.

Adrien stood up, placing the toddler back to bed with Tikki and his new toy. He pulled the blanket over his son, tucking him in.

Louis cuddled with his new black cat stuffie and closed his eyes, yawning as it had been a really long day.

Tikki closed the book, allowing Adrien to take the book and place it back on the shelf.

"Goodnight little guy..." Adrien whispered, giving his son one last kiss before he stood up and hesitantly left the room.

Marinette sat on the edge of her bed in the master bedroom. She had just finished a shower and tied her hair into a messy bun on the top of her head.

The blunette climbed into bed, wondering if it was time for a haircut.

Her blue eyes shifted up the moment she spotted Adrien as he entered the room.

He smiled at her gently and then very carefully climbed into the bed beside her.

"You know, I saw you everywhere. I don't think you realize how much you are a part of my life..." Adrien murmured, sliding beneath the blankets and wrapping his arms around his lady.

Marinette blushed deeply, reaching up to lightly play with his hair.

"You're a huge part of my life too..." she whispered. "I mean...aside from where we are...you've made me a mom. I dont think I could see my life with anyone else at this point..."

Adrien chuckled, his heart warming at the sound of her voice. His hand slowly reached down, caressing her flat tummy with a small smile

"Sorry I've unexpectedly made you a mother again..."

Marinette giggled, leaning more so into him. She was a bit nervous to see how Louis would react to the news of a new sibling but she hoped it wouldn't be too bad.

Her and Adrien were the only children in their families growing up, so she could imagine how hard it was for either of them to speculate how it would go.

"I hope this one looks like me. Louis looks almost exactly like you. Almost like you did all the work." Marinette chuckled, nuzzling into him with a small smile.

Adrien perked a brow, pulling back to look at her with a strange face.

"I did all the work for Louis?" He asked curiously. "So that's why he looks just like me. Makes sense." He teased with a grin before he rested his head back on her chest once more.

The blunette snorted, attempting to withhold an embarrassed laugh.

"Well...yeah. You got a little mini you. I'd like to have a mini me. A mini princess that I can have a little girl time with..." Marinette bit her lip, almost wanting to cry at the thought of having a daughter.

It warmed her heart at the thought of holding both her children in her arms during a bedtime story when they had their little slumber parties.

Adrien smiled, his eyes remaining closed. He couldn't help himself. He quite liked the idea of having a little daddy's girl. It was without a doubt he'd spoil her rotten like he did with his son.

"I think...even if it's a boy, I'd love our child no matter what..." he replied in a soft whisper.

Marinette inhaled, the fact that she was pregnant and having another baby finally setting in.

"Do you think we should start talking about names?" She asked, pulling back to look at him curiously.

Adrien groaned, burying his face in between her breasts stubbornly.

"Marinette...the baby is still a tiny little...scab. We still have nine more months to think about that." He murmured into her skin.

Marinette looked down at him with a deadpanned expression.

"This time is different. With Louis we literally waited until last minute to pick out a name. This time around we are actually here...ready to prepare for this child. We're still getting married and this time I think it's best if we come up with names now so we aren't rushing and we don't end up picking an ugly one when I have the baby..."

Marinette shivered.

If this birth was anything like the birth of Louis she wasn't sure if she was prepared to go through that again.

Marinette had hoped she was lucky enough to grab an epidural this time around.

Bringing Louis into the world was incredibly exhausting and painful.

But a life was a life.

She couldn't imagine her life without her children.

It was a nerve wracking experience, but if she had to do it all over again again she would.

"Marinette...?" Adrien mused, his voice very gently pulling Marinette out of her train of thought.

The blunette relaxed against the bed as she held Adrien in her arms. Adrien gently pulled back to glance up at her, his hands gently running up her sides.

"Yes sweetheart?" Marinette breathed out, her body growing goosebumps in the wake of his fingertips.

"You still want to marry me, right? That won't change no matter what obstacles we bump into? You know...first with me being oblivious to your pregnancy, the issue with Nathan and than Lila...being as difficult as she was. None of these things scare you away from being with me, right?" He asked, his voice quivering as he was almost nervous of the answer.

Marinette hummed, her fingers continuing to run through his thick blonde locks.

"Sometimes, I get that fear that you'll leave me, or that I'm not good enough for you. Especially after the mishap with Nathan I worried that I lost you forever..." her blue eyes connected with his as she almost wanted to cry at the pain they had to go through to get to where they were.

"It never made sense for you to love me...I couldn't understand why you had chose me out of everyone..." she breathed. "But I want you to know that my feelings for you will never change. I can't wait for the day that I get to walk down the aisle and spend the rest of my life with you..." she reached down, taking Adrien's face into her palm.

Adrien glanced up at her, his heart swelling at the words she promised him. He felt tears pool at the edges of his eyes.

They both came such a long way from where they were. They had progressed into so much together. He was ready to spend the rest of his life with her

He loved her and only her. This was the woman he loved.

"I love you..." he breathed his hand reaching up to touch hers as it rested on his cheek.

"I love you too..." Marinette breathed in response, her thumb caressing his cheek. "And that won't ever change. I promise..."

Adrien breathed out, tears rolling down his cheeks. He leaned up, his lips pressing against her beautiful pink plump lips.

Marinette inhaled into the kiss. She slowly wrapped her arms around him, holding him close.

Adrien gently climbed over her, his body pressed flush against hers as the pair sunk into the bed.

Marinette felt his mouth on hers, their lips parting against one another as the kiss grew deeper into their passion.

A small desperate whimper escaped his lips the moment her tongue touched his.

Her lips parted, and she breathed in his breath as his tongue very tenderly slid between her lips.

She laced her lips around his tongue, keeping him in her mouth to taste him before her tongue very gently slid underneath his.

Adrien slid his hands down the length of her body, his fingers gripping on to her underwear and tugging them.

"Can I take these off?" He murmured against the kiss.

Marinette giggled softly, lifting her hips so that he could drag her underwear down the length of her legs.

The model tossed the garment to the side.

He kneeled up, removing his shirt and throwing it to the side as well.

Marinette took the opportunity to run her hands down the soft yet firm toned muscles against his chest and stomach.

"Honestly, we are just too hopeless..." Marinette breathed as she could still taste him on her mouth.

Adrien leaned forward, gripping on to the sheets as Marinette's hands found their way to his sweatpants.

"Why do you say that?" Adrien asked, a deep blush coating his cheeks as Marinette successfully removed his sweats and his boxers.

"We can't keep away from each other. It's like we never learn..." she murmured, her voice quivering as Adrien lowered himself on to her.

"I guess that makes me some sort of fool..." Adrien replied, his hand slowly brushing down her thighs. The male very gently hiked both her legs up his waist.

Marinette very gently gripped on to the sheets, her chest rising and falling with each breath she took.

"T-Thats okay..." her voice stuttered. The helpless bluenette gripped onto the sheets, her knuckles turning white as their bodies very lovingly merged into one.

"Y-You can be my foolish kitty-" she breathed, her voice wavering off at the feeling of him inside of her body

Adrien pressed his lips to her neck very tenderly, his brow furrowed at the taut sensation of her body.

"I think I'd be okay with that..." his hands moved down to her hips, holding her close to him.

Marinette buried her face into his shoulder, her body warm against his.

The couple held each other, their hands roaming against their bodies as they made love.

It was an intimate moment, they finally had the time to rediscover one another all over again; and they certainly took their time.

Adrien would never take his time with her for granted not ever again.

And for the first time in a long time, everything was finally going to be okay again.


	37. Chapter 36

Dawn came round rapidly.

The sun set casted an eerie glow against the city.

The warm wind blew swiftly and Adrien was finally able to feel it

His green eyes veered off into the distance. His blonde hair blew into his cheeks and his brow furrowed as his irises glided up the length of the Eiffel tower.

He stood in the familiar cemetery, his eyes lowering once more at the empty plot beneath his feet

It was a sense of content as well as confirmation that overcame him. All simply because Adrien was drawing a conclusion.

He didn't feel doubt and he didn't feel hurt. Instead he felt grateful for the second chance.

Marinette was once buried here, right beneath his feet. A strange twist of fate brought her back into his arms. The area was quiet. It was serene, and most importantly it was empty.

"I don't know why you came here to torture yourself..." Marinette murmured from beside him. The thought of her own death was quite fearful to her. Her blue eyes moved down towards the empty plot and she pressed her lips together. She felt a bit sick thinking that she was placed right in that plot.

Louis stood awkwardly beside Marinette, his hand holding on tightly to hers as cemeteries frightened the little one.

Marinette reached down, hoisting the toddler onto her hip.

"I'm just drawing a final conclusion..." Adrien murmured, turning his head to face her.

Marinette nodded, her eyes glancing back up to her love once more.

"Maybe I will buy that plot..." she sighed, fixing her pink dress as she turned away, urging him to follow her out of the cemetery.

Adrien perked his brow, subtly following her

"You're going to buy this plot? Why?"

Marinette chuckled, briefly looking back at him

"For your funeral. Especially after what you've got planned for today..." she shook her head as she approached their car parked on the street.

Adrien laughed softly, stuffing his hands into the pocket of his jeans.

"You think my father is going to kill me?" He teased, perking his brow.

Marinette opened the car door, placing her toddler in his car seat.

"Well, he's definitely going to do something..." she sighed, buckling her little one into the seat securely.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" She asked, pulling back to glance at Adrien with a nervous stance. "You dont have to for me and Louis. Honestly, I do get we have life to live..."

Adrien smiled. He reached down and cupped her face.

"I'm not doing this just for you and Louis. I'm doing this for me as well. This is something I should have done along time ago. I'm not living life the way that I should be..." he murmured briefly before he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.

Marinette breathed out softly, leaning up and rubbing her nose on his.

"I know...I just...I'll just cheer you on. Whatever decision you make, Louis and I are behind you. No matter what..." she assured, her hands reaching up to touch his as they rested on her cheeks.

Marinette always had an eerie feeling tingle down her spine every time she was inside the Agreste mansion.

She almost felt bad for leaving Louis with his grandfather every now and again

The lobby was cold and even the people inside were cold. The blunette held on to her son protectively as Nathalie stepped out of Gabriel's workroom and closed the doors behind her.

"Your father is ready to see you, Adrien." Nathalie's voice echoed throughout the hallow lobby.

Marinette gulped, her mind racing to at least a hundred miles a minute.

"A-Are you sure you want to do this now?" She asked, her voice quivering. "Perhaps it's better if you text him instead. We'll hide away in bed and then we won't be seen again."

Adrien laughed softly. He leaned down to kiss her head softly.

"If I don't do this here and now my father won't ever take me seriously. After the shit I've been through, my father doesn't scare me anymore..."

Marinette pressed her lips together, still feeling a bit unsure.

"Just wait for me here. I'll try not to be too long." The blonde assured.

Marinette furrowed her brow.

"If you think I'm waiting around in here, you'd be completely batshit crazy." Marinette hissed.

"Mrs. Agreste." Nathalie gestured to Marinette and Louis. "If you're hungry I can accompany you to the kitchen. Our chef just arrived with fresh food for the buffet."

Marinette immediately perked up, her tummy growling as she was now eating for two.

"Well..." she quickly glanced back at Adrien before the began to saunter over towards Nathalie. "Perhaps a meal or two won't hurt..."

Adrien tsked, shaking his head with a small grin. His lady was definitely more sillier than he was.

Adrien fixed himself up, watching Marinette leave with Nathalie and Louis to the kitchen.

The blonde stepped inside his father's room.

He closed the door behind him, shifting his gaze to his father who stood by his computer.

"This had better be important..." Gabriel muttered, his blue eyes snapping up to meet Adrien who stood casually by the doors.

"It is important..." Adrien replied, rocking back and forth on his heels. "I've come to tell you that I quit..."

Gabriel paused.

His eyes sharply remaining on Adrien as he wasn't quite sure what he had just heard.

"What?" He asked, his brow perking.

Adrien sighed. He almost half expected to flinch but that was the old him.

This was something he should have done ages ago.

"I quit. Everything. The modeling, the events, the interviews... at least for right now. I need a break..." Adrien confessed, his eyes reaching up to the portrait of his mom.

"I understand what you've been through. I know that Ladybug's lucky charm was to restore order. But when you lose someone that meant the world to you, no amount of magic or time change could erase the damage that it's done..." the male explained. "I was suicidal. I wasn't eating...I couldn't sleep. My life had no meaning. I was killing myself because I could not accept that I lost someone that gave me the reason to live... " he looked down briefly. "And then in turn, I pushed away everyone I loved. I neglected my own son, my own flesh and blood. I destroyed someone that was a piece of Marinette..."

Gabriel furrowed her brow, his gaze lowering as he could almost empathize what his son meant.

"I understand that working is your way of deflecting the pain. But I feel like I've learned from you and I've also learned from losing my fiance for a brief moment. It was only a couple of weeks, but it honestly felt like my whole life was passing by. It was unbearable."

The room remained silent as the two simply looked at one other

Gabriel remained silent, letting Adriens words sink in..

"I wasn't living my life..." Adrien breathed. "You're not living your life either. Mom would have wanted you to live her life, just as Marinette would have wanted me to live mine. I'm not going to neglect my son anymore even if his mom was brought back."

Gabriel sighed, turning back to glance up at the painting of his wife.

"I'll be grabbing some things from the studio tomorrow..." Adrien explained. "When I come back, I can pick up where we left off..."

Gabriel clenched his jaw, contemplating his decision.

He knew that his son wasn't a child anymore. Adrien had been growing more and more independent.

Not that he was defiant, but Gabriel realized that he no longer had control over him

Adrien was going to leave whether he wanted him to or not.

"Fine..." Gabriel muttered out, turning his gaze back over to his son.

Adrien smiled, offering his father a respectful bow.

"Take it easy father... take a break..." Adrien suggested, feeling quite pleased that it went well.

Adrien had learned a valuable lesson. He would no longer take what he had for granted.

He and Marinette put off so much on the risk that they'd have time to do it later

That wasn't always the case

Adrien could see that now.

Adrien watched his father as he turned to the painting of Emilie

The blonde turned, excusing himself out of the room to allow his father to think by himself.

Gabriel sighed, glancing down at the brooch on his tie.

The lines under his eyes deepened as he recalled the risk he took with Lila.

He reached up, pulling the brooch from the linen before he placed it back into the jewelry box.

Perhaps a small break wouldn't hurt.

The risk of losing both Adrien and Emilie was something too great. He didn't want to push that risk.

Adrien closed the doors behind him, his green eyes shifting back towards Marinette and Louis as they exited the kitchen.

Marinette hummed, dipping hot chicken wings into chocolate ice cream.

Louis stuck to his usual plate of nuggets, although what his mother was having didn't appeal much to his appetite either.

"Uh...what are you eating?" Adrien asked, a light chuckle in his voice as Marinette joined him by his side.

"Mmm...I'm not sure. I was craving wings and I was craving ice cream. So I thought I'd just have both." She replied, dipping a few more hot wings into the bowl of ice cream.

Adrien nodded, grabbing Louis and placing him on his shoulders.

"So...you're not sick are you?" The blonde asked as he began to lead the family out of the front doors that led to their car outside

Marinette paused, her eyes widening.

"Oh wait..." she groaned, her lips pressing together as she looked as if she was ready to puke.

"Okay, yeah no. I'm fine." She shrugged, stuffing a few more wings into her mouth. "We really should hire that chef for our wedding..."

Adrien snorted, a wide smile on his face as they exited the mansion.

"Hah!"

Marinette smiled, glancing up at her love. She reached over and grabbed his hand tenderly.

"So...I see you're still alive. I'm assuming that talk you had with your father went well?"

Adrien nodded, pausing as the family approached their car. He reached up and gingerly removed his toddler from his shoulders.

"Yeah, I just hope he takes my advice. He could really use a break outside the confines of these walls..." the blonde murmured, his green eyes glancing back up at the front doors of his former home.

The home that was once a prison for him as a teen.

Marinette leaned into him, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. "I'm so proud of you..." she smiled sweetly.

Adrien laced his fingers into hers, bringing her hand to his lips so that he could press a gentle kiss to it.

"So...what are you planning to do now?" Marinette asked curiously, blushing as her hand now rested against his chest.

Adrien pursed his lips, his eyes veering up as he thought.

A small smile graced his lips and he looked down at Louis briefly before his eyes shifted back to his love.

"Alya and Nino are still spending a week in New York City, right?"

A/N: One more chapter left. Y'all ready?

This story is finally coming to a close. Never thought I'd ever start and actually finish a series. Thanks for standing by for this long.

Don't be sad. There is still one more part to this series.


	38. Final Chapter

The studio was dark.

Adrien could barely see the sun rise over the horizon through the windows. He didn't care for an explanation. He knew the crew would be sad to see him leave and he felt it would be too sentimental to explain to them why he was leaving

Adrien placed a few of his items into a box and he sighed. His green eyes glanced around the room. His dressing room harboured so many good and bad memories, it was almost bittersweet.

"You're not going to miss it?" Plagg asked, turning his head to face Adrien as he sat on his shoulders.

Adrien sighed, his eyes shifting back to the box full of his things. He had decorated his dressing room with photos of his family, a few things he brought from home and drawings that Louis had made for him.

Adrien had closed the box, a small smile on his face as this was just another chapter in his life that had come to an end.

"I think that if I start modeling again it'll be under Marinette's fashion line..."he pitched, stepping back to look at how empty his room had become.

"So I dont think I'll ever miss this place. I dont think I'll miss working here under hot lights, uncomfortable underwear and pushing up against strangers. A lot of good memories were made here, I got to model with Marinette, the food was great and Camille was like a second mother to me. But I'm ready to let this go..." Adrien confessed.

Adrien lifted the box, tucking it under his arm and flipped off the lights. Plagg returned back into the pocket of his shirt and Adrien opened the door to leave.

The blonde paused, his eyes widening as he spotted Lila standing in the doorway.

Her face was solemn. It looked as if she had been crying.

"Is it true?" She asked, her voice quivering as she glanced up at him. "You're really leaving?"

Adrien sighed, he didn't want to upset her anymore than she already was. The last thing he wanted was for her to get akumatised again.

"I'll still be around, Lila..." the blonde assured as he offered her a weak smile. "I won't be here and I'll be out of Paris for a week, but if you see me or if we bump into one another dont be afraid to say hi..."

Lila breathed out, tears pooling in her eyes as Adrien scooted past her to leave the building.

The female clenched her fists, turning to face him as she couldn't let him just leave her.

"Adrien. Is there anyway I can change your mind?" She asked, her voice quivering as she tried to withhold her sobs that threatened to escape from her.

Adrien paused, his back continuing to face towards her as he glanced down with a grimace.

"I really am sorry that it ended up this way..."he breathed, turning to face her with a frown. "Perhaps in the future things would be different. I'll care for you as a person, but I think its important that we go our separate ways and work on ourselves. What happened to you was awful. But after some thinking and after the trauma my family endured as well as you and me, I think its important to close up this chapter and move on. Other wise we'll be stuck in the same moat over and over again. There's no point of living life that way..." Adrien glanced away from her.

"I know your feelings for me. I acknowledge them. I promise I'll be gentle with them, but I need you to understand that I am in love with someone else. If we want to be friends in the future you have to respect boundaries."

Lila breathed out, she reached up to clutch her chest as her heart felt like it was ready to melt into her stomach.

She wasn't usually the one to be rejected. Growing up she got everything she wanted, Adrien seemed to be the one thing she could not get.

"B-But...why couldn't it have been me?" She asked, her voice cracking.

Adrien sighed, his head shaking.

"There's a time and place for everything. Marinette had been my love long before you and I met." He glanced up at the ceiling as he thought.

"You can't make someone love you. In this case all you can do is put yourself out there and hope they like you back..."

Lila remained quiet, her tears now streaming down her cheeks.

"Ultimately it's up to you. You decide my worth. Do I mean enough to you to remain in your life as a friend? Or do you not want me in your life at all..." his voice trailed off as he remained quiet for a moment.

Adrien glanced back down towards the exit. He heard Lila crying behind him, even as he decided to leave the building to let her think on those options.

Lila dropped her bag, her vision blurred with tears as she saw Adrien for the last time.

Marinette groaned, her face feeling flushed.

She had just overcame a bout of morning sickness and she was unsure if she was going to be able to do this.

"I dont know if this is a good idea..." Marinette breathed. "The thought of puking on a plane...makes me wanna puke." She stood up on quivering legs and staggered to the sink so she could wash up.

Marinette rinsed her mouth and washed her face, quickly glancing up at Adrien who stood in the doorway with his shirt pinched to his nose to hide the smell.

"Do you think Louis will be okay?" She asked, her heart racing. Her pupils shribbled to pin dots almost immediately. "They frown upon toddlers on a plane, don't they?"

Adrien blinked, quickly turning his attention to his son who was sprawled out against the bed like a starfish. The little one was knocked out cold and was even drooling.

"Yeah...no I dont think he's going to be a problem." He chuckled, before he glanced back at Marinette who was then fixing her hair into a bun.

"We should probably get going..." Adrien smiled. "Alya and Nino are waiting for us at the airport. If you're scared you can hold my hand."

Marinette rolled her eyes and then she turned to face him.

"I think I'd hold your hand to start with..."

Adrien grinned, he reached out and took her hand before he gingerly led her back to the bedroom to grab their bags and their son.

Marinette inhaled, her blue eyes looking at their city from the windows of the airport.

It was definitely an exciting new adventure. Marinette had never been on a plane before and she was a bit worried how Louis would handle the air pressure, but he appeared to be fine during the ride in.

Marinette felt a little sad to be leaving, and she had kissed her parents goodbye right before they had checked their bags in.

Granted, she wasn't leaving for long, but Marinette had never strayed too far away from home. She had always wanted to travel and she was quite glad that she had this opportunity to. She had got to travel with her friends and her family.

She was finally able to create memories with Louis. He could tell these stories to their new child once they were born.

Marinette had swiftly sent a text to Luka as Luka decided to leave town once again to perform, especially after learning that Marinette would not be in the office anymore.

"I'm so glad you guys decided to come!" Alya piped from behind her, wrapping her arms around Marinette tightly.

Marinette giggled, her heart pounding slightly as she could see the plane ready to board passengers.

"Yeah, I guess I'm just a little nervous to be on a plane so long. I dont know how Louis is going to take it."

Alya furrowed her brow, turning her head to peer over at Louis who was hiding behind an airport bench in his overalls waiting for Nino to find him.

The toddler giggled, running over to hide behind the next bench as Nino discovered his hiding location each time.

Alya turned her attention back to Marinette with a small weak smile.

"I think Louis will be fine. Plus there's a million things to do in New York." The brunette assured.

Marinette exhaled. She knew she was better of renaming herself the worrywart. But perhaps after this second child, she'll finally get the hang of things.

"Yeah, I guess you're right..."

Alya leaned into her, closing her eyes.

"How's the morning sickness treating you? Adrien tells me you've been puking your brains out."

Marinette pursed her lips.

"It's a love hate kind of thing. I get hungry and then I get so sick at the same time. Last night I was craving ice cream on a bagel..." she sighed, a soft blush on her cheeks. "For dessert I wanted cookies and mustard."

Alya widened her eyes, her face scrunching up at the mixtures of food.

"Uh...did you actually eat that?" She asked.

Marinette pressed her lips together, shamefully nodding.

"Adrien caught me eating a chocolate pretzel off the floor..."

Alya snorted, hugging her friend tightly.

"That's fine. He still wants to marry you. I think it'll work out."

Marinette flushed with embarrassment, she parted her lips as she was about to speak but froze the moment she heard the flight was about to board.

Alya left her side at once to retrieve her carry on bag.

Marinette wander over towards her bench, grabbing her bag.

"You're gonna be alright?" Adrien asked as he grabbed Louis' hand.

Marinette glanced up at him, her eyes moving over towards Nino and Alya who were just about to follow into the line to board.

The blunette smiled, her eyes shifting back to her husband.

"Yeah, everything is fine..." her voice was warm and calm.

Adrien leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to her head.

Marinette turned around, her blue eyes glancing out the window as she looked back at her city.

She knew that she had been here all her life.

She never once traveled or moved far from it.

She grew up here, she made friends here, she fell in love here and built a family here.

A small smile grew upon her lips as Marinette realised how lucky she was to have the privilege to protect her city.

The female glanced down, a smile forming on her lips as Tikki poked her head out of her bag with a look of reassurance.

Marinette could only hope that Adrien had packed a lot of cheese for Plagg.

But this wasn't permanent and from the bottom of her heart she knew she'd always keep coming back.

"You coming?" Adrien murmured, standing by the entrance of the flight with Louis by his side.

Marinette took a deep breath, gingerly turning over to face Adrien with a small smile.

"I'm coming..."

Adrien laced his hand into hers, his thumb caressing over her skin tenderly.

Marinette leaned into him, her eyes peering over at Louis who held his other hand.

"New York, here we come..."

And with that notion, the family stepped into the hallway to board their flight.

THE END.

A/N: Thank you guys so much for this journey.

I hope you loved these characters as much as I did.

The fourth book is still a maybe as I'm trying to get a plot conjured so I can figure out where to go with it.

For the most part, the story with these characters have come to an end.

I thank you to everyone who rode along in this journey with me and I'm also sorry about the spelling errors.

I love you all.


	39. Epilogue

Marinette hummed, nuzzling into her pillows.

The sun had began to set across the Parisian skyline, but its rays warmed the inside of her bedroom.

It had been quite a few months since their trip to New York and Marinette was completely taken with the city.

She made a mental note to go somewhere else this upcoming summer.

Marinette couldn't wait to book their honeymoon. She had hoped to make it a family trip, she couldn't imagine herself going anywhere far without her children. Working as Ladybug and Chat Noir was one thing, but to leave the country without them was another.

She definitely wasn't having it.

Marinette opened her eyes, furrowing her brow as she sensed movement.

The blunette groaned, her legs stretched against the smooth clean sheets of her bed. She sat up, rubbing her eyes as she glanced around.

The bun that had sat atop her head slowly began to unravel, becoming undone as it fell into loose ringlets against the back of her head.

Marinette could hear the television in the next room and she could smell food.

She placed a hand on her round belly, her brow furrowing as the baby moved again in an uncomfortable position.

"Ow..." she breathed, her chest heaving as she felt the baby kick into her ribs.

She glanced out the window, figuring that it was probably late afternoon to early evening. Marinette tried not to make taking random naps throughout the day a habit, but she just couldn't help it.

Marinette slid towards the edge of the bed, placing her feet on to the ground.

"You feeling alright?" A voice emanated softly from behind her.

Marinette sighed, shaking her head. She turned around to smile at her love who stood in the doorway.

"You always make a surprising entrance..." Marinette chuckled, her feet throbbing as they began to swell.

"What are you cooking? It smells really good..." she bit her lip, her tummy growling.

Adrien laughed softly, peeling off his apron before he set it to the side.

"I've started making steak, I know you've been craving it. Louis refuses to eat nuggets and now all he wants is applesauce and mashed potatoes." The blonde chuckled as he took a seat beside her.

Marinette hummed, a small smile on her face as a soft blush dusted across her cheeks.

"Mmm...steaks...nuggets sound good too. If Louis doesn't want them, I'll eat them." She giggled softly.

The female was just about ready to stand when Adrien stopped her.

"Hey, I can carry you to the bathroom if you need to. If you're hungry I can take you to the kitchen as well." He assured her, his hand gently sliding into hers.

Marinette chuckled, shaking her head as her hand gripped tighter on to his.

"Adrien, I have legs. I can walk..." she smiled sweetly before she stood up.

Her belly was a heavy weight, her back had already started to hurt. Her feet had began to swell, the baby was moving into her ribs and she was hungry almost all the time.

"Ugh..." Marinette groaned, wiggling her toes. "I definitely dont miss this..." she smiled weakly, placing her hand on the side of her belly.

Adrien stood up beside her, ready to catch her and lift her if she needed it.

"Is the baby moving around?" He asked, recalling how Louis often kept Marinette up at night when he moved around to painful areas.

She nodded, her hand guiding his hand to her belly.

"Yep. The baby keeps kicking and kicking away..." she breathed, attempting to relax.

Adrien blinked, his hand remaining still on her belly as he waited anxiously for the baby to start kicking.

A small smile spread across his face the moment he felt little movements underneath his palm.

"Do you think the baby likes me?" He asked, his brow perking.

Marinette snorted, waddling away from him as she needed to follow the smell of that food.

"Of course the baby likes you." She assured. "The baby only ever moves or jumps around when you're near me..." Marinette placed her hand onto her belly, trying to get the baby to move to a different location.

"The baby keeps lodging into my ribs though..." she breathed. "Louis liked to rest there as well. Maybe if I eat something the baby would want to move..." Marinette bit her lip. "I mean the baby loves sugar. Do we have any of the pies my father brought last night? Or did you and Louis eat them all?"

Adrien shook his head, climbing off the bed and wandering over towards her with a grin.

"Marinette...you ate them all. Literally, you ate them all in one sitting."

Marinette pressed her lips together, she wasn't even ashamed that she did. What the baby wanted, the baby got.

Tikki emerged from the hallway, the little creature floating around her Chosen's head before eventually cuddling her cheek.

"Are you ready to use your face as a butter knife like last time?" Tikki teased with a giggle.

Adrien chuckle at the comment.

"Or perhaps she'd like to throw up on me again." The blonde chimed in, wiggling his brow.

Marinette glared at the two, the blush on her face only deepening as they teased her.

"Get over it!" She huffed, crossing her arms. "It was years ago, and I was still in high school!"

Adrien bit his lip, holding her waist as he turned her over and wrapped his arms around her.

The blonde held her in a comfortable embrace, quite aware that her growing belly was pushing into him.

"Aww c'mon!" Adrien murmured. "We're only teasing because we love you..." he rubbed his face into her neck. "Just you wait until Louis is older. He'll chime in on the teasing too."

Marinette leaned into him, rolling her eyes as she wrapped her arms around him in reciprocation.

"Well, Louis will be a good big brother and stay on my side as well as the new little one." She pulled back to stick out her tongue.

Adrien smiled, his hand reaching up to cup her face.

"I love you..." he murmured, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her lips.

Marinette closed her eyes, leaning into the kiss as they always made her heart flutter.

"Mmm...you taste nice..." Marinette murmured against his lips. She pulled back, glancing into his eyes with a soft blush.

"Is dinner ready? I'm starved!"

A/N : SURPRISE AN EPILOGUE CHAPTER THAT NO ONE ASKED FOR.

I hope you guys liked it!


	40. Authors note

Hey loves! I guess I'm moving in too fast. The preface for the sequel is out.

Please check it out!

Miraculous: Marinette's wedding.

Don't hesitate to show me some love on my other stories. I really do appreciate you guys so so much.


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